Sith Warrior Chronicle
by M0nini
Summary: A story following the adventures of the Sith Warrior as well as the romance between MQ/SW.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters and a big chunk of the dialogue belongs to Bioware and Lucasarts. First fanfic, enjoy! :)

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><p>"Sir, I apologize. It was the best I can do," Xy'liah heard as she entered the Lieutenant's office. She continued walking until she saw two men facing each other, a blond headed individual hanging his head low in front of his superior officer who, judging by his face was none too pleased. Without warning, the displeased officer reached out and took the soldier's collar into his hand and drew him near and high.<p>

"If that's your best, then you are useless to me. I could shoot you dead with a clear conscious. Is that what you want?" he said in his displeased tone.

Xy'liah could sense the fear of the soldier as he stuttered for the right words to say, "N-n-no, sir!" He was released afterwards.

"Then focus, Jillins." The commanding officer turned his attention toward Xy'liah and Vette. "Dismissed."

Jillins saluted his Lieutenant and left. Xy'liah got a quick look of the soldier's face when he turned to leave and saw it a pale white. Her eyes then turned toward Baras' assigned contact. He was not a bad looking individual; tall, broad shoulders, a defined jaw line, not to mention the barely noticeable remains of shaven facial hair that Xy'liah found quite intriguing. A mischievous smile came into her mind. She was going to enjoy toying with the Lieutenant.

He gave a small bow to her, "I apologized for the delay, my lord. Lieutenant Malavai Quinn. I'm to be your liaison here on Balmorra."

"It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

"And to you, my lord," Quinn said with another slight bow. "Lord Baras will brief you personally, but I'm to acquaint you with the climax here on Balmorra first."

"Do it quickly, Lieutenant. I don't have time to waste."

"I won't mince words, my lord," Quinn cleared his throat before continuing. "Even though the Empire wrestled control of Balmorra from the Republic during the war, we were never really able to completely eradicate them. There is a rather sizable resistant movement. No one wants to admit it, but it's clear that the Republic is backing it."

"The Republic cannot be tolerated."

"I agree, my lord. It is my dreams to see our enemy vanquished. I have a secure line to Lord Baras. I'll patch him through immediately." The Lieutenant turned toward the holoterminal and entered the code to connect to Baras.

Xy'liah subtly eyed the Lieutenant as he worked to connect them to her master. Within seconds, Xy'liah saw her master appear before them.

"Ah, I see you convened with my apprentice. Very good, Lieutenant. Leave us," said the Dark Lord.

Quinn turned and gave a small bow to both the Master and apprentice before walking off to oversee his other duties.

Xy'liah turned toward her master, who watched him walk off until he was at a safe distant, "Quinn owes his career to me, but we should keep the details of your mission between the two of us. We must act swiftly. Nomen Karr's Padawan has directed the Jedi's suspicions to my undercover agent there on Balmorra. Do you recall this?" He turned his gaze toward his young apprentice, who stood there looking rather bored.

"Of course, I remember everything," she said in a defiant tone.

Baras frowned, but chose to ignore her disrespectful tone. She has not been the most pleasant apprentice he had trained, but no doubt she is by far the most powerful and probably the only one that could carry out his plans. Usually Baras would not hesitate to dispose those who defied him, but her powers were invaluable to him that he found himself holding back whenever she gave him her little attitude. He had to remind himself time and time again to keep from going insane that her attitude arisen from her origins: a descendent from one of the most powerful Sith bloodlines within the galaxy. Naturally her parents had instilled in her the notion that she was the better being in this entire galaxy.

"Good, I'll get to the point then. My spy is Commander Rylon of the Republic Resistance. He is the central contact for all my operatives in this sector. Unfortunately, Quinn is tracking an investigator that the Jedi have sent. That means we have to cover our tracks before you kill Commander Rylon." His apprentice started pacing impatiently before the holoterminal indirectly rushing the Dark Lord, which rather annoyed Baras even more. "Your first mandate is to destroy evidence that links Rylon to the sabotaging of Balmorra's defense systems during the war. To do so, you must break into the satellite control tower. Quinn reports that the tower is a death trap of mechanical security."

"Why can't Quinn handle this?"

"Quinn is busy with other duties I have provided for him. This task is priority one. The Jedi's investigator could be zeroing in on the evidence as we speak. Quinn has everything you'll need. I'll summon him back. Remember he is not to know the reason for your mission. I'll be in touch."

Xy'liah nodded and left to wait for her equipments as her master called out to his contact. A few minutes later, Quinn came to her with a small device in his hands, "My lord, I've prepared what you need on your assault on the satellite control tower. In order to destroy the mainframe, you'll mount this charge to the base and activate it. Then contact me and I'll able to detonate." He handed Xy'liah the bomb, who took it with a frown.

"So I'm basically an errand runner."

"Well, the satellite control tower is a crucial part of our crushing the resistance, my lord. With it gone—"

"I don't need your explanation, Lieutenant," said Xy'liah cutting him off. The Lieutenant patiently waited as the Sith examined the charge he had handed her, though slightly irritated at the young Sith's attitude however. "I'll be back shortly. Come on, Vette."

The twi'lek nodded and followed her master out of the Lieutenant's office, "This is a suicide mission, you know." She watched the Sith's expression as she walked side by side. "But then again, suicide missions seem to be our specialty."

"This is nothing, but a waste of my time. I'm just here to cleanup the mess that people before me have failed to do." Xy'liah sighed. "Well, at least I'll have a reason to go back there." Her mind wandered to the Lieutenant. "He's pretty cute, isn't he? I don't see much Imperial personnel with those kinds of looks anymore. They're all old or if not, too stupid for their own good. We'll see how this one goes. So far, he's looking very promising."

The twi'lek frowned, "Men with power? Capable of destruction and demolition? Why am I not surprised?" Though she had been with the Sith for only a short time, she had quickly picked up on her personality.

Over the course of their journey together, the young Sith proven to be the opposite of what the twi'lek thought of a typical Sith. Xy'liah was a very proud woman, which made most of her decisions reckless and rash. She was very impatient in her ways and grew bored easily. Due to this, the Sith was always on a constant search for some entertainment on their journey. Lately it's been flirting and toying with every single bachelor and non bachelor they had come across. It somewhat sickened Vette at the way the Sith shamelessly flirted with her victims, but then again, she was Sith. She knew the power she wielded and never hesitated to use it to her advantage. She was too proud for her own good. Ironically, it was that behavior that made her quite tolerable to Vette. Xy'liah's light-hearted nature and strange Sith humor never failed to entertain. Not to mention that it provided a more welcoming and comfortable environment for the young twi'lek to freely express herself.

Time and time again, the young Sith's ego had left small openings in which Vette could've slipped away unnoticed. Why she hasn't taken advantage of them, she never knew, but she found herself growing more and more concern for the Sith with each passing mission. Perhaps it was those late nights' conversations they had aboard the Fury where Vette found herself discussing some of the most intimate details of her past. Surprisingly the Sith seemed genuinely interested and had encouraged the twi'lek to express more of her feelings. It had intrigued Vette on how different this Sith was compared to the ones she had encountered before that she took it upon herself to watch over the Sith (since it didn't seem like anyone else will) so that she could learn more about her.

Vette gave the young Sith a small look of disgust. "He looks like one of those by the book, brainwashed military servant that the Empire is so eager to recruit."

"That's probably why Baras chose him."

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><p>"Lieutenant, we have Lord Baras' apprentice tracked," informed one of Quinn's men. Quinn nodded his approval.<p>

"Keep me updated on her progress." The young Lieutenant turned his attention toward the image of Darth Baras on the holoterminal in front of him. "It seems like everything is preceding nicely, my lord. If you don't mind my asking, I was wondering about your apprentice-"

"She is none of your concern, Lieutenant. I need her there to serve her purpose and then she will be gone. You should be focus on more important tasks."

"Yes, well, I couldn't help, but wonder about her nature. She seems a bit...immature to handle such a mission."

"Who I see capable or incapable is my business, Lieutenant. I do not appreciate you questioning my actions. Now get back to your duties before I find someone else to replace you."

"Apologies, my lord."

The dark lord's image disappeared abruptly, leaving Quinn with his thoughts. He found his mind wandering to the young apprentice. She seemed too inexperienced for Baras to send for such a mission, not to mention Quinn had detected a sense of carelessness from her. He had overheard a small bit of the conversation the young apprentice had with her master. She talked with such a confident, but rebellious tone and Quinn thought he heard her trying to wiggle her way out of this mission. Perhaps Baras knew this and had purposely sent her to death via this mission? After all, Quinn had computed her rate of success to be very slim. The satellite control tower was armed with attack droids inside and out. Even if she managed to cut her way through outside security, she would still have to face what was inside. Her energy would be drained by the time she reached inside, assuming that she did and the minute she let her guard down will be the end of her.

As if her personality wasn't a good enough reason to prove her unqualified for this mission, there was always that companion of hers. Quinn frowned in disgust thinking about the twi'lek. From the looks of her, she was nothing more than a smuggler that probably fell to the mercy of the Sith apprentice. She was not a military personnel and Quinn didn't see the point of her role in this whole Imperial operation. If the Sith needed backup, there were more qualified individuals for the position. He was against having non military personnel in Imperial business. It neither benefitted the mission nor the Empire as a whole. He had his doubts about who his master sent his way to help carry out his missions here on Balmorra. Perhaps Baras didn't think his missions important enough to send more qualified individuals? He couldn't blame him if that was the case. After all, Quinn, himself, thought of Balmorra as a joke. He could be doing more for the Empire, but instead he was stuck on this small rock, carrying out missions that he was overqualified for.

"Lieutenant," came a voice.

Quinn snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

"Our spy cameras have located Lord Baras' apprentice. She has reached the satellite control tower. You might want to see this…"

Quinn raised a questioning brow, "Very well, let's go." He followed his subordinate out to the operations room. "Bring her up on the big monitor."

"Right away, Lieutenant," said one of his subjects and in seconds the big monitor revealed the young apprentice making her way toward the control tower. Quinn watched as the young Sith moved with very little effort, swinging her lightsabers side by side. Her movements were fluid and precise, never staying in one place for long. Her feet barely touched the ground as she was always leaping from side to side and striking down on anything that was moving. Anything that she had missed was immediately brought down by her companion's blasters. In no time, she had cleared out almost the entire front security and made her way up the tower to her destination. Quinn observed her body language as she continued her reign of destruction. Her body twisted and twirled in all directions, bringing down the most formidable foes with just a simple touch. She looked so exotic, dancing her way through the enemy line of fire. Her clothes and body stained with sweat and soldier's blood mingled together, running down the curves of her body. The scene looked almost too good to be true.

"Get us in on the Republic's security cameras," Quinn directed.

"Right away, sir."

The smaller screens popped up with the various security cameras from every corner and angle. Seconds later, Xy'liah was shown running up the stairs and hacking down the droids and men that endlessly came her way. Quinn's eyes constantly moved from screen to screen, observing the Sith in every single angle possible. He found himself quite drawn to the screens; intrigued by his comrade's progression. Deep within him, he felt a small spark of excitement igniting. His plans were proceeding nicely and in minutes, his previous doubts about the young Sith melted away. The more he watched her getting closer and closer to her destination, the bigger the spark grew until it was almost too much for him to contain. He forced himself to look away and to regain his composure.

"Sir, an incoming transmission."

"Put it through."

The image of Darth Baras once again appeared before the young Lieutenant, "Quinn, what is the update you have on my apprentice?"

"She's…" How could he begin to describe what he had witnessed? All the words in the galaxy wouldn't even do the young Sith's actions enough justice. "It's going smoothly, my lord. Your apprentice should be at the mainframe soon."

"Excellent. Put me through to her immediately as soon as she finishes."

"Yes, my lord." Quinn bowed as the image once again disappeared.

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><p><em>Almost there, <em>thought Xy'liah as she sliced apart a droid. She took a moment to catch her breath as Vette ran to catch up with her.

"How's it going, my lord?" asked the young twi'lek equally out of breath.

"We deserve a drink after this," said the young Sith as she brought her lightsabers up to deflect an incoming blaster fire. "Cover me."

"Don't I always?"

Xy'liah rushed for the incoming droids and men and continued slicing and dicing her way up until she reached the satellite's main controls. She turned toward her companion, "Vette! Arm and activate the charge while I watch our back!"

Vette ran past her straight for the controls, "On it!" Behind her Xy'liah could hear the young twi'lek quickly going to work with the charge. She was rather quite gifted with arming and disarming any bombs thanks to her treasure hunting days, which made Xy'liah a bit appreciative to have her at that particular moment.

"It's done, my lord!" said Vette a few minutes later. The duo switched position as Xy'liah retreated back, taking out her holocommunicator.

Quinn's image appeared before her, "My lord, I have marked your progress, and see that the charge is armed. I will detonate once you are at a safe distant. But first, I have Darth Baras on holo for you. I will retreat and leave the line secure for the two of you."

She barely had time to talk for Quinn switched the channels so fast. She found herself once again staring at her master.

"Apprentice, we have more important compromising things to take care of before you confront my spy Commander Rylon. It involves invading a Republic keep to find a lowly ensign named Durmat. He is Rylon's son and he has confided his true identity to him. Ensign Durmat must be silence permanently."

"That was very stupid of him."

"I don't leave loose end, Apprentice and all my connections say that Ensign Durmat is a very loose end. I'll signal Quinn to give you all the details. Be swift."

The communicator went blank and Quinn's figure reappeared, "My lord, Ensign Durmat is being detained in the brig of Republic crater outpost awaiting questioning by the mysterious agent Baras has me tracking. I will alert you if the investigator appears to be heading there. I assume you wish to get to Durmat before she does."

"That's none of your business, Imperial."

"Apologies, my lord. My inquiring mind often gets the best of me. I won't delay you any longer. Good luck on your mission, my lord. I'll be here if you need anything."

Quinn ended the connection and resumed watching the screens. He watched as the young pair rushed back down the tower and toward their exit, "Jiuwa!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Get ready to detonate on my count." Quinn watched closely as the two ran. In his mind, he was quickly counting their steps before deciding they were at a safe enough distant to detonate, "Now."

Explosions of fire appeared before Quinn's eyes and he couldn't help but enjoyed the little firework show his charge had put on.


	2. Chapter 2

Soft whimpering filled the air as young Durmat paced back and forth within his holding cell, desperately trying to make sense of what happened within the last few hours. It all happened so quickly. He had been working in the medical labs when they came. Not an explanation or anything, just, "Ensign Durmat?"

"Y-y-yes?" replied the timid shy boy.

"Come with us." And within minutes he was escorted by two large troopers down to the keep's holding cells.

Durmat sighed. He knew this was something that had to do with his father. It was just a few nights ago he remembered coming home for dinner. The older man sat at their table, deep in thoughts as Durmat entered their apartment. He hadn't even notice the young man until Durmat clumsily bumped into a wall on his way over to his father.

"You're home," he remembered him saying.

"Trouble at work today?" Durmat questioned, but his father only eyed him as he continued to think. It wasn't unusual to see his father in his state of mind. Being a Commander in the Republic army usually does things to one's mind. There were times when his father would come home as if he had seen a ghost and other times as happy as can be. Whenever Durmat would question him, he would let go of random mumbling here and there, which added to the young boy's already growing confusion.

"I've done a terrible thing today," he would say at times and retreated to the privacy of his quarters, leaving Durmat wondering. At first, Durmat found his father's behavior odd, but grew accustomed to it over time. Lately, however, the expressions and random mumbling increased significantly, leading Durmat to question his father's health. Perhaps his years of service had finally caught up to him?

"Sit down, my son," his father had said to him that night. "There is something you must know, but you must swear on your life that you will not repeat a single word to another soul or we both shall suffer terrible deaths."

The words sent chills down Durmat's back and for a second, he thought it best if he didn't learn what his father was about to tell him. Before he had a chance to convey that, however, his father continued.

"I'm an Imperial agent…" The statement was so plain and direct that it threw Durmat off guard for a while.

"What do you mean? You've been loyally serving the Republic for years!"

The older man shook his head, "No, that's only a cover up." And before he knew it, his father had told him his whole life story of being an undercover spy for the Empire and how recently there were suspicions of such activities.

Durmat groaned at the memory.

"Pipe down, Durmat!" the cyborg overseeing him commanded. "There's something going on outside. I'm trying to listen." He stood up from his chair and concentrated on the ruckus on the other side of the door.

"Come on, Zixx! Throw me a bone. Who is this agent comin' to interrogate me? At least answer that, will ya?" Durmat said ignoring the older cyborg's earlier instructions.

"Argh…" Zixx said with frustration. He turned to face the young ensign in his cell, crossing his arms, quite annoyed.

"Fine, stay clamped," said the young ensign finally taking a hint from the cyborg's expression. "I don't care who it is. I ain't talkin'…nobody's gonna get nothin' out of me. Nothin'."

Zixx raised a brow before turning back to concentrate on the commotion. Behind him, Durmat let out a small sigh before continuing to pace back and forth in his cell, head hanging low. On his fourth or fifth time around, he looked up and around. He was one of two prisoners here in this keep, the other being a hooded Imperial they had captured hours before. His eyes shifted from the other prisoner's cell to his own, taking careful notes of the bars and the material used to seal the top, bottom, and sides. A small frown came over his face as he came to the realization that he was indeed trapped. _Wished I paid more attention when Father was giving me the rundown on different metals and their vulnerabilities…_ The thought of an agent coming to interrogate him had the hair on the back on his neck standing up. He had heard about interrogations done in the Republic. Depending on who is doing the asking, it may go smoothly or had one wishing he had never been alive. Knowing his luck, Durmat imagined the agent to be a big overpowering cyborg or alien of some sort insensitive to human's emotions and when they discovered the secret he had been hiding-Durmat shuddered to think of his consequences. Maybe it was best to confess now?

"Alright, alright…I ain't proud, I give!" he began again. "My dad's an Imperial agent!"

Zixx whirled around at the ensign's last statement. Had his ears deceived him? Did he hear him right? "What did you say?" He walked toward the cell. "Your dad's a what?"

Durmat stepped back at the cyborg's advances. Another panic attack was coming up.

"Yes, please repeat that, Junior," said a voice.

Zixx and Durmat both turned to see a young Sith and twi'lek walking toward them. At the sight of them, Durmat instinctively began shaking, "Oh…oh…oh no…" His heart pounded ferociously within his chest.

"This is a restricted area," said Zixx. "What are you doing here and who are you?"

"It's not who…it's—it's a what….S….Si…Sith…" said Durmat, his voice quivering with fear.

Xy'liah smiled at the amount of fear radiating from the young boy, "He's going to need a new pair of pants."

"Who cares what Durmat needs? You gave me enough time to get what I need," said Zixx, smiling. He had silently triggered a small alarm alerting the keep of the Sith's appearance.

"Ugh…" said Vette. "I have a very…bad feeling about this…" Her usual blue skin tone turned pale as she gave the Sith a worried look.

"Take a look behind you, Sith. That's what two squads of the Republic's finest looks like." As if on cue, Republic soldiers came pouring in, taking their position at the entrance.

Xy'liah turned to assess the soldiers before turning her attention back to Zixx, "Just how do you think I came to be here in the first place?"

Zixx frowned at the Sith's statement, "Come on, men. Let's send this Sith home in a body bag!"

Red blaster bolts flew their way as Vette dove for the desk behind them for cover, "I think we might be in trouble here!" She took out a small grenade and quickly threw it over toward the soldiers.

Xy'liah quickly drew her sabers and before Zixx had a chance to react, she bashed him over the head with her hilt, rendering him unconscious. Next to her, Durmat cowered in a small corner of his cell, trying to stay out of the line of fire. Xy'liah frowned at the sight of the young man. Never has she seen someone so cowardly. She was used to the Republics that held their heads high until the very end, faithfully believing in their cause. It gave her quite the satisfaction killing them, but this boy….Xy'liah groaned at the thought of even having to deal with him.

A red blaster bolt shot past her, interrupting Xy'liah's thoughts. _Oh right…the soldiers…_ She, then, summoned the empty cells around her and directed them toward the soldiers. The empty cells evened out the odds a bit with the help of the grenade, knocking more than half the soldiers down. With a powerful force leap, the young Sith planted herself firmly between the remaining soldiers.

They all turned toward her, surprised, as she quickly knocked out a significant amount of soldiers with a just a few twirls of her sabers. Behind her, Vette took the opportunity to take out a few of her own.

With the rest of the standing soldiers, Xy'liah summoned the Force to knock them back hard against the wall, where they all fell either unconscious or dead.

The young Sith frowned as she walked toward her companion, "I'm kind of disappointed."

Vette stood up and let out a sigh of great relief, "You are crazy, girl. They nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"ugh…" came a voice. The pair immediately turned their attention toward Zixx, who was regaining conscious again. He shook his head and rose to his feet before looking around the room. His eyes widened in fear as he only saw his two enemy left standing while a bunch of Republic bodies scattered the room. "What the!" He grabbed his gun and aimed at the Sith, who had a smug look on her face.

"I love that look on people's faces when they realized their impeding death," said Xy'liah stepping closer to the cyborg.

The cyborg raised his rifle and shot at the Sith, who dodged it pretty easily. She continued her walk toward him, close enough that even the gun couldn't do her harm. Zixx cursed under his breath, subtly grabbing his vibroknife and bringing it down toward the Sith.

Xy'liah caught his arm with her hand and knocked him down once more, this time using her head instead of her hilt.

At the sound of his body dropping on the ground, Durmat rushed to his comrade's side, kneeling at the bars of his cell, "Zixx…Zixx. Come on, talk to me, Zixx…get up, man…" His voice trailed off and Xy'liah could sense the fear once again building up within him.

"Look at me, Ensign Durmat," she commanded him.

"But…if I don't look…maybe you're not really here…" his voice quivered uncontrollably and Xy'liah found him sneaking a peek at her. "Oh blast…I looked…" He stood up to face her. "Please-please, I know why you're here. The-the Republic…the Republic is investigating my dad…and an agent is comin' to put the screws to me…But…I won't break, I promise. Let me live, my dad's secret is safe with me. I-I'm a rock."

Xy'liah raised a brow at the young man's statement. Never had she seen someone so pitiful in her life, "You must think I'm an idiot."

"Fine, fine. You're-you're an idiot! If it'll save me, I'll think whatever you want me to."

At this, Vette turned to give the kid a quick look. She, too, raised a questioning brow as he continued to try and explain himself.

"My father's done so much for the Empire. Maybe…maybe the apple fell off the tree…kinda far from the tree…but it's…still…the apple's still…" He looked at the Sith and her companion's confused faces before realizing how much little sense he was making. He sighed and started again. "Uh…I'm-I'm-I'm not exactly sure where I was going with that. Please don't kill me!"

"I'm putting you out of my misery," said Xy'liah. She raised her hand as Vette turned back to avoid watching.

Durmat stepped back in fear, "But…who will put me out of my misery?" Before he could reach the back of his cell, he felt a powerful force clamping around his neck.

The ensign fell before Xy'liah as the life was squeezed out of him. She heard Vette sighed behind her, "Poor fool. Not sure we've come across anyone so useless."

Xy'liah turned to face her twi'lek companion, "Not everyone can be as talented as you, Vette."

"A compliment? I'll take it," the twi'lek's eyes twinkled with delight. Her nose then wrinkled as the smell of smoke and blood made their way to her. "Ugh…it smells awful in here. Let's move on, shall we?"

"I wonder how bad the Lieutenant is missing me right now," said Xy'liah stepping past some of the bodies.

"Seriously?"

* * *

><p>Xy'liah walked into the office once again, feeling slightly irritated. Vette had made it her personal duty to inform her of every single ache and pain she was feeling when exhaustion caught up to them on their way back. Xy'liah had to force herself to tune out the twi'lek's endless chatter as she went on and on about random things from food to planets to shopping. This was her companion's way of dealing with everything however, and Xy'liah had found herself wishing on several occasions that she had not taken off that shock collar. Every single muscles in her body ached as they cried out for relief. She had landed on this planet as its sun was rising and now it was way past midnight to the point where the sun was almost rising again. She could see the Lieutenant's back, no doubt concentrated on his tasks, but the sounds of her approaching footsteps turned his head.<p>

"I must be honest, your success at the satellite control tower station and Republic crater outpost has surprised me, my lord," Quinn said upon Xy'liah's return. "I computed the likelihood of success as nearly negligible. In my assessment, however, I only considered the capabilities of a typical Sith. Clearly, you are not a typical Sith. I will adjust future calibrations to account for your unprecedented abilities." He seemed to be already computing as he said this and Xy'liah couldn't help, but smiled at the way he presented the information. It was amusing to her how awed he probably was of her. It wasn't new to hear how she managed to, once again, exceed the expectations of others. She had been underestimated ever since she first landed on Korriban. By now, comments such as the Lieutenant's only added more to the young Sith's ever growing ego. She had always liked to keep those around her guessing as much as possible and he was no different. The expressions on their faces after she had proven them wrong were so worth it. She could even feel a change of tone in the Lieutenant's voice as he addressed her this time around.

"Quinn, you know just what to say," said Xy'liah. Her manners and sarcasms were far from the expected typical etiquettes. However Xy'liah had always found it quite boring following the Imperial's expectations. Politics rather bored her most and when she was growing up; she dreaded going to the studies her parents had set up everyday. Behind her, she could hear Vette giggling at her comment. Apparently, she entertained the twi'lek too.

Quinn lowered his head in embarrassment, "I'm not too proud to acknowledge when I'm mistaken." He lifted his head and immediately continued with the debriefing. "Lord Baras is pleased. He said it's time to zero in on your prime directive and he awaits your contact. My barracks are yours. Activate the holoterminal in the next room to speak with Lord Baras. The line is secure."

"Don't wander off now," she said in a playful tone.

"I will be right here if needed, my lord." Quinn bowed as Xy'liah made her way next door. She entered his room and quickly looked around. Not bad. Everything was just how she expected it, neatly organized and placed accordingly.

"Apprentice, I hope you can see the smile on my face. You are turning me into a true believer," her master said.

"Pretty hard to see anything going on behind that mask of yours." Whether he was smiling or not behind that metallic mask of his, it was definitely a frown now.

"I'm sure you're impatient to complete your time on that little rock. With the satellite control tower destroyed and Rylon's son neutralized, my spy's tracks are covered. Now the only threat to Rylon being exposed is the man himself. It's time to end that threat. Permanently." He waited for her acknowledgement, but instead received an answer typical of his student.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?"

"I like that idleness makes you disagreeable. Just be sure to give Commander Rylon an honorable death. It's the least we can do. I've had him imbedded within enemy ranks for decades. His contribution to the Empire's interests is unrivaled."

"That man is a hero. Pity he had to die." _And for someone like you…_

"He's always known the risk. The Jedi investigator must have no hard evidence that Rylon was killed to silence him. It must look like anything but a targeted execution. Annihilate everyone there."

"Sounds like overkill to me. Maybe you didn't hear, but I just spent three hours slaughtering droids and Republic soldiers left and right," Xy'liah's voice dropped to a low whisper that only her and her companion could hear. "And many more just travelling back and forth between those stupid places. I never knew how cheap the Empire was with their transportation services."

"Your objection is noted. Your orders however remain. I'll summon Lieutenant Quinn. He'll prepare you for your final task."

A few minutes after her master's briefing, Quinn entered, clutching documents in his hands to further brief Xy'liah. The first thing he saw was the two companions, each in a chair slumping over his desk; eyes closed trying to catching a bit of rest. He stopped for a moment for the sight of the Sith apprentice caught him off guard. There was apart of him that frowned upon them. The action was so unprofessional, but then again the other side of him found it intriguing to see the sight of the powerful Sith sleeping. She looked so…human as he watched her breathing in and out.

A small snore sounded from the twi'lek, snapping Quinn out of his thoughts. He continued his walk toward the two and cleared his throat rather loudly, hoping to alert them of his presence.

Xy'liah and Vette opened their eyes and frowned at the sight of the Lieutenant holding the documents. Xy'liah rubbed her face, "I was hoping you and Baras had found something to discuss for a few hours before sending me off again."

"Apologies, my lord. When I'm on an assignment, I usually try to finish it as fast, but effectively as I can. It makes the rest and relaxation afterwards worth it."

"You're not the one that has to go out and do all the dirty work. After I leave, you will be resting while I, once again, run errands."

"I assure you, my lord that I won't rest until this assignment has been completed. A small break might result in the investigator coming out ahead of us. It's not something I want to witness happen."

Xy'liah frowned. She could sense Quinn indirectly pushing her to the next assignment and she did not appreciate being rushed especially when she was feeling weak due to the exhaustion. She turned toward the Lieutenant, irritated, "Was there something you wish to tell me?"

Quinn took the statement as his cue to begin her briefing and did not hesitate one bit, "Your next target is the Balmorran Arms Factory. The resistance forces recently captured it and made it their headquarters." He handed her the necessary documents and continued as the young Sith briefly scanned the paper works. "An incursion into the Arms Factory will be a monumental feat. I'm excited by the prospect of you laying waste to that place."

At this, Xy'liah's raised a mischievous eyebrow, followed by a smirk. "So…I excite you, do I?" she inquired, handing the documents back to the Lieutenant. If he was going to make her depart at such a late…or early hour, then she was definitely going to a little fun before her next adventure.

Behind her, Vette rolled her eyes. _Here we go again. _

His face instantly reddened as he retrieved the documents, "W-well, what I mean was…" He looked down to avoid eye contact with the intimidating Sith, who stood her ground, smirking as she watched him shift uncomfortably before her. "…when I imagine all the ways you will shape the galaxy, I get very excited. Yes." He looked up to face her once more, quite satisfied with his answer.

"Admit it, you like me, don't you Quinn?" Xy'liah said crossing her arms while she watched the Lieutenant squirmed with more discomfort before her.

"My lord, is this an appropriate place and time for such an inquiry? You're putting me in a—a very awkward position."

"Are your quarters not an appropriate place?" Xy'liah teased motioning for the Lieutenant to look around. To her delight, his face flushed red again. _How easily you fluster, Lieutenant…_

"Uh…I grant you that. It's not the place perhaps, but, uh, rather the time that leaves something to be desired."

"You're right. We wouldn't want to rush things now, would we?" She was enjoying this all too much. It was one of the many perks she had while on her missions. Most of the other men she flirted with would've gave in within minutes, but she was becoming intrigued, even excited at the Lieutenant's resistance. It made her mission even more enjoyable now as she calculated the amount of time it would take before he too would give in.

"N-no, nor…nor would I, my lord. May I continue to brief you on the Balmorran Arms Factory?"

"Alright, but I reserve the right to readdress this issue in the future."

"That is your prerogative, of course." Quinn quickly resumed his dutiful stance and walked past Xy'liah, quickly reviewing a few points on the documents. "All right. The Republic Command Center is deep inside the Arms Factory, the most heavily protected installation on the planet." He entered a command into his computer and instantly all information on the Command Center appeared before them. "In order to reach Commander Rylon, you'll have to make your way past all of the factory's defenses—which are considerable."

"Give me a rundown on those defenses."

"Unknown, my lord. But the resistance will certainly have state of the art security and attack droids. Stationed inside are an estimated one thousand of the Republic's best trained soldiers. Specifically, Rylon's elite squadron is responsible for some of the most precise, improbable resistance victories on Balmorra. They're legendary."

"Until I showed up."

"The Empire's cause here on Balmorra will be greatly advanced once they're gone. One final thing, the investigator the Jedi sent has been concentrating all of her activities around the Arms Factory. I have her under minute by minute surveillance. If she becomes a problem, I will contact you on your comlink."

"I'll answer if I feel like it."

"I hope there'll be no reason to disturb you. I will be here to salute you when the Balmorran Arms Factory is a smoking husk, my lord."

* * *

><p>"Captain, what's going on out there?"<p>

"The factory's under attack. Headquarters has been breached and casualties are severe," reported Captain Eligyn to his superior. Next to him, his troops rushed toward the incoming enemy.

"Keep your wits, Captain. What do we know of the enemy?"

"Target's carving a bloody path in this direction. Unconfirmed reports suggest it's Sith."

Xy'liah stabbed the last remaining soldier outside the blockade casually before pulling out her lightsaber and roundhouse kicking him down, "You're about to become part of the bloody path." She eyed the Captain as she walked toward him.

The men in front of him quickly aimed their blaster rifles toward the Sith while moving to create a line of defense separating their Captain from the enemy. Behind them, Captain Eligyn peeked at the young apprentice before going back to his report, "Commander, come in. Contacts confirmed. The enemy is Sith. Repeat, the enemy is—"

"I can see that, Captain. Shut up!" came the voice on the other end, startling the Captain at his Commander's sudden irritated tone. He nodded as he followed his next instructions.

Xy'liah stopped before the blockade, waiting as the Captain before her messed with a device behind the blockade.

Within seconds, an older man appeared before her via holo.

_"Sith, I know why you're here. Be aware that these are the finest troops I've commanded in all my decades of duty,"_ the voice resonating through out the operation room.

Quinn turned toward the unexpected interference.

"Sir, what should we—"

"Quiet!" commanded the Lieutenant coming closer to the monitor. He watched as the Sith encountered the Republic Commander.

_"Should I turn tail and run now?"_ He heard Xy'liah's voice between the statics.

_"My men and I would be disappointed if you did." _There was a slight pause before the same voice continued._ "Captain Eligyn, engage at will and hold the line. I'm coming with reinforcements. Rylon out."_

"Sir, should we send in reinforcements too?" asked one of Quinn's subordinates.

"No, I want to see how this plays out," said the Lieutenant, eyes glued to the screen.

Captain Eligyn reached for his rifle as Rylon's image disappeared, "You're about to see what we're made of."

The Sith yawned mockingly, "I may die of boredom."

"We're not going to let boredom steal our kill."

The Sith gave him a small frown, "You're not very funny."

"I'll have time to laugh later. Men…attack!"

"Find out where that signal is coming from!" Quinn commanded.

"Right away, sir!"

Quinn turned back to watch as Xy'liah attacked the remaining Republic soldiers. The fight should give him just enough time to investigate.

"Sir, it seemed as if it's coming from one of the Jedi investigator's channels."

"She bugged him?" A smile touched Quinn's lips. "Well played, investigator."

Static sounded again.

_"The commander…he should've been here by now…"_

_"Your commander left you to die."_

_"No, he's safe…all that matters is he's safe."_

Static sounded again, but this time on the monitor.

"Sir, we're losing sight of them," said one of the subordinates as the big monitor went blank.

"That's ok, we can still hear them. Everyone quiet!" Quinn yelled giving the room a quick glance over. He then turned his attention back to the speakers.

_"Please…enough of this,"_ came the same older gentlemen's voice. _Rylon…_

_"Commander, no! RUN! Save yourself!"_

_"Just put him out of his misery, Sith."_

_"I think it would be so much more poignant if you pulled the trigger."_

_"Commander? What does this mean?"_

_"Good bye, Captain."_

_"I-I-I can't belie—"_ There was a blaster bolt and then silence.

_"It's unfortunate they were on the wrong side. They were excellent soldiers and exceptional men."_

_"If that's the case, then why didn't you convert them to our cause?"_

_"I follow Baras' order to the letter. Recruitment was never my purpose here. I served for the glory of the Empire, but the life of a spy is a slipper one. In essence, I had to become a Republic soldier and I've done things against the Empire that has sickened me."_

_"Now you die like a Republic soldier."_ Quinn couldn't help, but smiled at Xy'liah's words.

_"Before I embrace my end, there is one thing I must know. My son. He was the only thing in the world that was truly mine. And in love or weakness, I told him my secrets. I…I know you had to cover my tracks, but please tell me…did he face his fate well?"_

There a long pause with static playing in and out of the speakers and then, _"His chin was held high, Commander."_

_"Then I can die with a smile. When they find my corpse, there must be evidence of a valiant fight. We must make this look convincing, Sith. So I won't hold back, I will fight you as if you're my mortal enemy."_

_"Maybe I'll break a sweat."_

_"Then arm yourself. Tell Lord Baras it's been a great honor to serve him."_ Quinn closed his eyes as the sound of a lightsaber ignited. He felt sympathy and a great amount of respect for the Commander. There were few men that had such dedication and loyalty to the Empire. Most of the higher Imperial personnel nowadays were corrupted by greed, wealth, and power. To lose a soldier such as Rylon was, in Quinn's opinion, a devastating blow to the Empire. _The Empire needs more men like you, Rylon. You won't be forgotten…_

"Lieutenant! The investigator is attempting to send out the conversation."

"Block her at all cost. Do not let that conversation go or I will personally see to your death myself!"

"Yes, sir!"

"My lord, I believe we've got trouble. I heard your entire conversation with Commander Rylon."

"How is that possible? Were you spying on me, Lieutenant?" the young Sith responded in her usual playful, flirtatious tone.

"I told you that I've had the Jedi investigator surveilled and that she's been snooping around the Arms Factory. Apparently, she bugged Rylon's quarters and as she listened in on your conversation, I heard what she heard. The investigator knows everything, my lord."

Xy'liah's smile quickly turned into a frown at the unpleasant news and she found herself once more irritated, "This is your mistake, Quinn! If that conversation gets in the wrong hand, it'll be your head not mine." Thoughts of Baras' last torture scene entered her mind, which only made her angrier toward the Lieutenant. She should've known something like this was going to happen and there was no doubt that Baras was going to hold her responsible for the situation. She could already hear the Dark Lord lecturing her on her carelessness.

"Apologies, my lord," he replied, though his tone didn't suggest a single ounce of it. "I was as surprised as you when I heard your voices through her channel. She was heading toward her ship, but I had my men move in and cut her off from the Republic landing bay. I am systematically blocking her avenues of transmission and escape, herding that Republic scum to her only hope—the spaceport at Sobrik."

"How does she expect to survive an Imperial spaceport?"

"My men who engaged her report that she's wielding a lightsaber. It seems that this investigator is a Jedi Knight. Unless you stop her, she is more than capable of fighting her way through and commandeering a ship. I'll be able to delay the Jedi long enough for you to engage. But I advise caution when facing her."

"I don't need your advice, Lieutenant after the mistake you just made. You should know that I grew up killing Jedis!"

"Then my concern is unfounded. My apologies. I will gather the rest of my remaining men and meet you at the spaceport. We will crush this Jedi!"

Vette bit her lips as she watched her master fuming with rage. Surely she had to know her carelessness would inevitably result in a mistake? The young twi'lek braced herself as the Sith turned toward her. Usually in situations such as this, the twi'lek noticed that the Sith liked to take out her frustrations on the nearest living object which seemed always be her. She sighed. Well if the Sith could take her nonstop chatter, she probably could survive an insult or two.

To her surprise, however, this time she didn't, "Ready your blasters, Vette. Today, we kill a Jedi." It was as if the galaxy's most foul tasting food just suddenly appeared in Vette's stomach for the twi'lek found herself wanting to vomit at the Sith's words. She had never been fond of unnecessary kills nor torture, but ever since she had joined up with Xy'liah, it seemed as if it was a part of a regular routine to them.

Xy'liah and Vette rushed into the hangar, both panting heavily, trying to catch their breath from their literal sprint back to Sobrik. The commotion caused the Jedi to turn her attention toward them and with a wave of her hand, the Imperial officers before her ran off.

"You're too late Sith," she said as Xy'liah stopped before her, still catching her breath. "I've already transmitted your conversation between you and Commander Rylon to the Jedi Council. Nomen Karr has his proof. Now Master Karr and his Padawan will track down and expose every Sith agent in the galaxy."

"Mark my words, they will be hunted every step of the way." Xy'liah was already quite annoyed of Quinn's incompetence to prevent the conversation from being recorded in the first place, now they were just rubbing it in.

"You fight a losing cause, Sith. I have purity of purpose. I seek neither thrills nor satisfaction. Unlike you, I am calm."

"How incredibly boring," Xy'liah said between breaths. Her hand gripped her lightsaber harder, resisting the urge to swing the deadly weapon at her foe.

"Living an enlightened life is not boring. The dark side shall fail you, Sith. Save yourself and surrender. The Jedi Council will give you every opportunity to discover redemption."

Xy'liah smiled at the Jedi's confidence, "Ha! I offer _you _the chance to surrender and live, Jedi. Which one of us is about to get cut up here?"

"Surrender is not possible. I am in the right. I won't kill you, Sith, but I am leaving. So I'll have to incapacitate you." With that, the Jedi pulled out her own lightsaber and ignited it.

"You talk big. I'm going to enjoy making you regret your words, Jedi." Xy'liah smirked. This Jedi added tenfold to her already irritated state. She could never stand anyone that was so self-righteous because everything about peace, about harmony, about the light side was an absolute lie. The Republics were as equally "evil" as the Empire as she saw it; the only difference between the two sides was that the Empire did not find it necessary to constantly justify their actions whenever they had to kill someone or something. If her plans were to be exposed to the Jedi Council then so be it, but she, at least, will be able to take out her frustration on a worthy opponent.

It must have been her fueling rage that did it, for Xy'liah no longer felt tired, but instead felt a surge of energy running through her body as the Jedi attacked her. They danced with their lightsabers for some time before Vette's blaster bolts distracted the Jedi, allowing Xy'liah to quickly disarm her and struck a blow to her rips.

She fell to the ground, clutching her side and Xy'liah once again found herself gasping for air.

"Your victory means nothing. The damage has been done. The proof has been transmitted. So deal the deathblow, Sith. I am at peace, knowing that the greater good has been served." The Jedi bowed her head in defeat, awaiting Xy'liah's blow.

Xy'liah frowned. She didn't need to be reminded constantly of her mistake. She raised her lightsaber, the faster she ended this, the more time she will have at finding Baras' next victim. However right before she could swing at her head, she heard a familiar voice.

"I hate to burst your bubble, Jedi," Xy'liah turned to see Quinn approaching them, accompanied by his men. He stopped short of them. "No, that's a lie. I'm reveling in it. I intercepted your transmission to the Council. The Jedi knows nothing." He smirked and Xy'liah could see a hint of darkness in his face.

A great relief ran through her whole body. "Quinn, I could kiss you!" she exclaimed. She meant it too.

"I'm only doing my job, my lord," the Lieutenant smiled, obviously proud of his accomplishment. "I had her monitored and screened the whole time. There was never any risk at all."

_However you took the time and effort to worry me? _Xy'liah thought.

"Gloat all you like, it means nothing. I remain at peace. And Nomen Karr and his Padawan will still defeat you," the Jedi voice pierced through Xy'liah's thoughts. Right. Celebrations were far from over. She still needed to deal with her rather annoying foe.

"I've had enough of your Jedi talk! Tell me the name of Nomen Karr's apprentice now!" Xy'liah demanded.

"I will never betray her identity. I am resigned. Strike me down. I offer no further resistance."

"I didn't know you were so eager to die," said Xy'liah and before anyone could interject, swung her lightsaber, forcing it deep through the core of the Jedi's body. "That has got to be the most annoying Jedi I have ever faced." Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the Lieutenant smiled with satisfaction while Vette winced at the sight.

Quinn directed his men to the Jedi, "Dispose of her body." He then turned his attention toward the young Sith. "How bizarre. She just closed her eyes and stood there."

"It almost took the fun out of killing her," Xy'liah said, eyeing the body.

"No matter. The threat has been averted, my lord. Well done. Lord Baras will be anxious to learn what became of this. When you're ready, I will contact him from my office."

"That old man can wait."

Quinn frowned as it became clear to him that the young apprentice lacked both the discipline and commitment to her duties. He would never make his superior officers wait unless there were good reasons. The Lieutenant, however, refrained from urging the Sith to make contact. The job has been completed and the lack of sleep from all those late nights he had dedicated to this mission was quickly catching up to him, "Of course, my lord. Take your time. I'm not seeking to impose. I'll be waiting in my barracks." Quinn gave his bow and turned to follow his men out of the hangar.

Xy'liah turned toward Vette, who still had a sour face on, "I promised you a drink, Vette and perhaps maybe a shower isn't a bad idea either. Let's go before I change my mind."

At the sound of that, Vette's face lit up, "Hmm, maybe we can go shopping while we're at it? Get some real nice dresses to wear aboard the ship while we're bored?"

"Don't push it."

* * *

><p>"It's not my place, Lord Baras. I leave that for your apprentice to convey."<p>

"Then step aside, Lieutenant. My apprentice has arrived. Nice of you to finally join us. Quinn refuses to update me on the situation, insisting the privilege be yours. I assume the Jedi investigator has been stopped?"

"I handled it. Your doubts and worries are becoming intolerable," said Xy'liah, still somewhat irritated from the whole mission.

"Considering recent developments, yes I had much concern," Baras said through clenched teeth. "I had hoped to avoid confronting the Jedi, but our hand was forced. What matters most is that Rylon can no longer be exposed. And how would you assess Lieutenant Quinn's contributions?"

"Lieutenant Quinn is an exceptional officer. I couldn't have done it without him," Xy'liah said. She knew she sounded out of character to everyone around her, but it was the least she could do for the Imperial after he had saved her from a world full of pain and torture. Her mind wandered again to the bugged device. He sure did save her from that one. Who would've known that a non Force sensitive such as him would be able to save her from anything? She gave him a quick look and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"High praise indeed. Quinn, I believe you have successful repaid the debt you owed to me. I'm putting you up for captaincy and transmitting an executive order allowing you to be station wherever you choose. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Lord Baras," Quinn's eyes lit up. "If my actions benefited the Empire, they benefit me. I would have done the same regardless of our past." Quinn turned toward Xy'liah. "My lord, before I depart, it's been my extreme honor serving you. You are the epitome of everything the Empire stands for."

"I'm going to miss your rugged good looks, Quinn," Xy'liah gave him a flirtatious wink. To her surprise, he didn't back down like before. Instead he smiled back, probably too excited about his promotion to even care how the young Sith was addressing him.

"Maybe our paths will cross once more, my lord." He saluted the two Siths once more before leaving.

Baras watched as the young man left, "He will have his hands full. There are powerful Imperials dedicated to keeping him down. But if Quinn can overcome that and rise to the station he deserves, there will be great hope for our Imperial allies."

"If given the opportunity, he will excel."

"Either way, it's not worth worrying about. Quinn's affairs are a speck compared to what we face. Your presence on Balmorra is no longer needed. Return to your ship when you're ready. I'll contact you there."

Xy'liah and Vette both waited for the Dark Lord's image to disappear once again before turning toward the exit.

"So…we're leaving right? On to our next exercise in domination and destruction?" Vette asked.

"It would seem so, Vette."

"Well hope the next place has at least a beach."

Xy'liah smiled at the young twi'lek's comment, "You know what? Me too."

* * *

><p>After a few hours to unwind and relax, Xy'liah decided to head toward their ship's hangar with Vette following. To her surprise, she found Quinn inspecting her ship. She raised a curious brow at his presence. Surely if it was about the mission, he would've contacted long ago.<p>

"What's Captain Boredom doing here?" asked Vette.

"I was wondering the same…" Xy'liah continued forward toward the clueless Captain. He must have sensed her arrival for he turned around immediately, his blue eyes lit up as he saw her.

"I hope you don't find my presence here obtrusive, my lord. I beg an audience."

"You don't always have to beg for my audience, Quinn. It's not befitting of an officer." She must admit his overly polite manners were cute and tolerable at first, but after sometime Xy'liah quickly found them rather annoying and unattractive; a sign of weakness. She had always prided herself with self-respect. Her parents had taught her long ago that she was born to two of the most powerful Siths within the galaxy; she should bow down to no one. It was a lesson Xy'liah took to heart.

"Pardon my word choice, my lord. I will speak plainly. As you know, Lord Baras enabled my reassignment to anywhere I choose. It is an evolution I've longed for and assumed would never come. Aiding your mission on this planet has reawakened the ambition I began my career with: to make the most profound impact possible for the Empire."

"Heh, welcome back to life, Quinn." It was nice to see some passion lit that rigid face of his.

"That's how it feels, my lord. And I cannot think of a more glorious and honorable way to make a difference in the galaxy than to serve you," Quinn knelt on one knee before Xy'liah, who was quite taken aback by the sudden show of respect. The Sith and twi'lek quickly turned to look at one another, both feeling quite awkward. "I am here to pledge myself to you. I'm ready and willing to serve in whatever capacity you see fit."

"Hmm…whatever capacity I see fit?" Xy'liah pondered a minute on his words. "How interesting…"

"More like nauseating," said Vette.

Xy'liah frowned at her companion, "She thinks she's funny."

"My lord, if given the chance, I know I will prove myself to you. I'm a top notch pilot, military strategist, and a deadly shot. I can fly this ship, plan your battles, assess your enemies, and kill them. You won't find a more tireless and loyal subject. I offer my military prowess and dedicate every ounce of my strength to your cause."

"Um, I guess I can find something for you." His whole action and request were rather unexpected. She knew she made an impact on him when she proved her might and skills on the battlefield; she had no idea however that it was _this _much of an impact where he would want to join them for the rest of her campaign. The idea somewhat irked her. She was not used to having people under her control. Vette was one thing, but now she has an Imperial personnel watching and observing her every move. Had she known he was going to request this, she would never have flirted so much with him.

Quinn stood up, "Thank you, my lord. I will submit my reassignment papers as we depart." The young man smiled and left to retrieve his personal belongings as Xy'liah stood there, somewhat still dumbfounded by his request.

"Should we leave him while he's gone?" Vette inquired sensing her master's emotions.

"The idea sounds so tempting," said Xy'liah turning back to see the Captain coming back with a few satchels. "Get the ship ready. I'll be back. I think I need one more drink before we leave."

Vette nodded as the young Sith headed toward the spaceport's exit.

* * *

><p>"My lord, I have settled into my quarters and fully acquainted myself with the ship. I am at your disposal," said Quinn as Xy'liah entered the cockpit area. They had waited awhile for the Sith to return from her little outing. However, during her absence, Quinn took it upon himself to utilize his time efficiently to explore the vessel.<p>

"I should probably inspect those quarters, Captain," the Sith responded. A whiff of whiskey made its way to Quinn's nose and he noticed the Sith looking a little red, buzzed from the alcohol perhaps. He brushed off her statement.

"You'll find them spotless and in order, my lord. You'll also find that I'm fully trained in all aspects of this vessel. I can both navigate and pilot."

"If you're half as good at evading obstacles as you are my advances, then my ship is in good hand."

More drunk talk.

"I am here to do a job, my lord," he reminded her.


	3. Chapter 3

Xy'liah stared out into the space ahead of her as her hands gripped Fury's controls. The action felt a bit strange to her. It's been awhile since the Sith even touched any controls of Fury's, not ever since she had picked up an all in one pilot, fighter, navigator, and healer. She barely set foot within the bridge area except to check up on him once in a while. Xy'liah eyed the controls around her. For a moment, they all seemed foreign to her despite her rigorous training in ships' mechanics and their operations.

Fury leaned a bit at the touch of her hands. Xy'liah immediately let go of the controllers as the ship regained its' balance. She never knew Fury was so sensitive, no doubt a result from the Captain's constant optimizations. Xy'liah frowned, wishing she had paid more attention to Quinn whenever he updated her on his latest Fury's optimizations. The thought had never crossed her that she would be one day without him and so soon after he had joined her.

The Captain had requested a short pilgrimage to pursue his long time opponent: an SIS agent by the name of Voloren. After his performance on Nar Shaddaa, Xy'liah thought it appropriate to grant it to him, that and the fact that he kept stressing how small of an opportunity window it is to confront the agent before he disappeared again.

Memories of their Nar Shaddaa mission flooded Xy'liah's mind and she found herself smiling at the thought of Quinn awkwardly trying to strike up a conversation with her while on their speeder taxi en route to meet Halidrell Setsyn. There had been a silence between them with Xy'liah busily thinking of how to redeem herself through this next mission and Quinn dutifully guiding their speeder. The young Sith felt the Captain's eyes constantly travelling between her and his controls silently asking for attention, but chose to ignored it. She had other more important matters to worry about. Last mission, she had allowed her carelessness jeopardized her whole campaign. Since then, Baras had been constantly reminding her of her mistake even hinting at what would happen if she caused anymore. She definitely couldn't afford anymore mistakes.

"My lord, permission to speak freely?" He had asked her. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed how long he was silently waiting for.

"You may always speak freely, Quinn," she had told him. The response must've surprised him a bit for he dwelled on her statement for a while before proceeding to tell her of how he came to be on Balmorra. It was a boring story, one Xy'liah had thought pointless, even until now she is still wondering why Quinn specifically chose to share it with her. _This must be his way of trying to break the ice._ Xy'liah chose to ignore the Captain's words then, but whenever there was free time, he would try to sneak in another anecdote or two.

And then again when Xy'liah found the Captain on his datapad each time they were free or en route to somewhere. At first, she thought of it as one of the odd habits of the Captain's to constantly check their mission and datapad for his focus never deterred from their current mission. But she soon found out otherwise when he informed her of a Republic SIS agent he had been tracking all along. _He wasn't kidding when he said Balmorra had put a halt to his career. _The poor Captain must find his newfound freedom exciting to finally be able to catch up with all his previous work before his time on Balmorra. Xy'liah couldn't blame him. Being stuck on that small rock would make anyone go crazy.

She had allowed this little fascination of his to continue as long as he didn't lose focus on the task on hand. The thought of him receiving that news also amused Xy'liah. His blue eyes had lit up when she had given him permission. A smile touched those lips of his and for a moment, he seemed to be a kid again. But Xy'liah didn't calculate how serious his little hobby was progressing. Right after they had dealt with Rathari, Quinn had requested her permission to leave and take down Voloren. It was then that Xy'liah realized just how serious the Captain was at any task he took upon.

So now she found herself…without her usual pilot and navigator.

"Ship sure is quiet without Captain Boredom here, huh?" Vette said cutting into Xy'liah's thoughts. The Sith turned to look at her twi'lek companion sitting in the co-pilot's chair next to her.

"For some reason, I don't really notice his presence here or not." It was true. She barely saw Quinn on the ship. He was always busy piloting the Fury or tending to other work unlike Vette, who found any excuse to take a break from her duties. On several occasions, Xy'liah had to check up on him to make sure he is still alive.

"Did he say how long he was going to be gone for?"

"No."

"So it could be weeks? Or even months? Hmph, sounds to me like this is just an excuse to skip his duties. Maybe he's off partying somewhere on Dromund Kaas. The least he could was invited us!"

Xy'liah gave the twi'lek a look, "He's not you, Vette, who on the other hand spends a lot of her time sorting out cargos we don't have…"

Vette turned to avoid eye contact with the Sith and gave a slight chuckle at the accusation, "Hey, someone has to make sure they are organized."

"Put the Fury on autopilot. We should reach Tatooine in the morning," said Xy'liah getting up from her chair. "Try not to stay up."

Vette nodded as her eyes followed Xy'liah out of the bridge. She quickly switched the ship to autopilot and ran out to catch up with her master, who she found was getting ready for bed. At the sight of that, her own feet and body ached for rest. Who knew working for a Sith Lord would demand so many hours?

* * *

><p><em>Ding! Ding! Ding! <em>Xy'liah opened her eyes. The sound was pretty unusual during the silent nights on Fury. She reached out through the Force and felt another presence aboard her vessel. Slowly she rose from her bed, hand summoning the nearest lightsaber to her.

Just as she was getting out of her quarters, a familiar shadow appeared from the entrance hallway.

"Quinn!" Xy'liah exclaimed, somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected the Captain back so soon.

The shadow gave a slight bow, "My lord, I did not mean to startle you. I'm back from my mission and pleased to report Agent Voloren's decade of espionage has been brought to an end! It is a great day for the Empire!" Excitement radiated from his voice despite his effort to speak in a low tone.

Xy'liah smiled, somewhat amused by his excitement and somewhat impressed, "It isn't everyday that you close the book on an old score."

"It is long overdue. Thank you for allowing me to pursuit this, my lord."

"Hm, you really took him down, huh? I'm not saying that I doubted you, but—the thought of you taking him down…" The Sith drifted off for a few moments. "Wished I'd be there to see that."

Xy'liah smirked as she saw the Captain blushed even though the lights were so dimmed. It was a little ongoing game she had with herself whenever she was bored and it was getting quite interesting. The Captain had managed to successfully dodge every single flirtatious bullet she had thrown his way while remaining calm and professional like always which made Xy'liah even more determined to break him, "You can drop the stoic soldier routine when we're in private. Show me a little attention."

The Captain turned his head away, "I'm…not sure what you mean, my lord."

"What, don't tell me I'm not your type."

"Indeed my lord. You are not a type at all. I dare say, you are a wholly unique woman, but my work demand complete concentration and I-" he turned to face the amber eyes staring at him. "-well… I'm not used to juggling business with pleasure."

Xy'liah frowned at the statement and took a step back from the Captain, hands on her hips, "No lame excuses or explanations! If you're not interested, then say so! Now, go get some rest. We have work to do and just because you went on your little side journey doesn't mean you get any time off to recover. I need you to be up and early when we land on Tatooine."

"Right away, my lord."

She watched him as he retreated to the crews' quarters.

* * *

><p>Quinn shielded his eyes from the harsh light cast by the alien planet's twin suns. He had just finished prepping himself for the extreme environment of the planet before setting out to finish prepping the rest of Xy'liah's and his journey. He was never really fond of the heat and harsh sands of Tatooine. The heat was already getting to him and they barely started. Quinn sighed as the thought of Fury entered his mind. How he longed to be within the cool interior of the vessel! Being on Balmorra has indeed changed the Captain. He was used to working inside an office all day long that he found it quite difficult to adapt to field work. It was much more efficient for him to work aboard the Fury, but last night Xy'liah had strongly voiced her wish of having him accompanying her on this mission. She has been doing that a lot lately.<p>

At first Quinn thought of it as a precaution to keep an eye on him as she worked. He knew she didn't fully trust him due to his close relations to her Master. He had even overhead the Sith speculating to Vette that Baras had sent Quinn to keep watch of her due to her last mission. This, however, did not bother Quinn in the least. He took it as an opportunity to prove himself, which he ultimately succeeded in doing. His performance on Nar Shaddaa must've helped him greatly. She must've liked his results from the small tests she purposely threw his way throughout the course of their mission. She didn't voice it aloud, but Quinn could see her satisfaction with him.

He was also quite impressed with his master's performance as she was with his. She had even surprised him a little at the way she carried herself this time around. Much different from when he first met her on Balmorra. She was quite focused and worked efficiently at the tasks being provided to her. She utilized everything and everyone around her, taking his advice on several occasions and even letting him plan a counterattack to Rathari's ambush. She was far from the usual Sith senselessly killing their victims and Quinn was quite impressed at how influential she was, even making a few powerful allies along the way (though she did let her anger get the best of her in the beginning).

Quinn straightened out at the sound of a small beep from a nearby holoterminal, reminding him to return to his duties. He took a step forward and began walking down the ramp of the city's spaceport into its' bustling marketplace. A couple of hours ago, Quinn guided the Fury toward Tatooine's only Imperial city, Mos Ila. Baras' operative, Sharack Breevs, waited for their arrival before she began briefing the Sith on her journey on Tatooine. The young woman spoke in riddles and didn't provide much useful information for their journey, but she did provide several locations in which she strongly suggested to investigate; one being the farmhouse of an Izzebowe Jeef which lay deep within the desert of Tatooine.

Quinn frowned as he remembered the distance shown on the map between the coordinates Sharack had given them and Mos Ila. Unlike Nar Shaddaa, cities were scare on Tatooine with Mos Ila and a few others being the main ones and a bunch of little farming communities and settlements scattered here and there across the sea of sands. It was mainly due to its environments that made supporting city life impossible. The desert was scorching by day and dropped to a freezing temperature by night. There were also random sandstorms that frequently happened as Quinn heard. To be caught in one would put major delays to their mission. However, it was exactly these conditions that made Tatooine perfect for anyone wishing to drop off the radar for awhile. Smugglers, criminals, bounty hunters, treasure hunters were all common sight at Mos Ila. Tatooine, like Nar Shaddaa, was ruled by the Hutt Cartel which made Republic's and Imperial's presence here nothing. Not to mention, both sides dared not risk losing resources searching for criminals within the harsh sands unless the person was of extreme importance such as this Jedi Master and his Padawan that they were seeking.

"_His farm is taken over by Exchange thugs. The Exchange hates the Empire for driving them out of Mos Ila. They'll let me pass, but shoot you on sight," Sharack had said to them. _

Quinn knew this long before they landed on the desert planet. And like always added the detail to his calculations and concocted plan in the back of his mind should it become necessary. His plan was a simple one, but effective if carried out right. He had overheard Baras telling Xy'liah how time was of the essence. It was far easier for them to complete their mission on Tatooine if they were to blend in with the locals than to stick out. He made this known to Xy'liah before any one of them had the chance to step out of the boundary of their hangar. The Sith listened to him without hesitation and sent Vette to quickly fetch her appropriate attires for the journey.

"_I shall go on ahead to prepare, my lord." _

"_Have everything ready before I get out there."_

Quinn tugged at the collar of his shirt as he waited for the Sith Lord. He watched random species pass him by, eyeing him as he leaned beside the landspeeder he had just rented. A random group of Twi'lek slave dancers passed by, sending flirtatious looks his way to which he responded with a frown.

One thing he was glad to not deal with while on field work was Vette, who has been pestering him constantly ever since his return. He barely had much sleep that night for the twi'lek was constantly asking questions left and right about his whereabouts. Somehow she had overheard him talking about Moff Broysc and now was insistent upon him telling her who he was. Quinn frowned as the thought of the young twi'lek entered his mind. He was doing his best to tolerate her, but slowly his patience was running out. It was quite puzzling to him how Xy'liah seemed to tolerate her so easily when he would have thought the twi'lek to annoy the Sith Lord also.

"Ready?"

Quinn instinctively straightened at the sound of the voice to salute his superior officer, an act that caused her to curl her lips in disapproval. His blue eyes studied the Sith from head to toe. She looked completely different from her usual self. She was dressed in the simplest outfit: brown pants, boots, and an oversized hooded poncho to hide those lightsabers of hers. Her hair was up in her usual bun and aside from that distinctive marking upon her face, she could definitely pass as a local.

"Your plan won't work if you cannot control yourself, Captain," she said referring to his earlier act.

"I'm sorry, my lord. It is somewhat of a habit for me," he turned his attention toward the landspeeder behind them. "I rented a speeder for our use. I'm hoping it will help us reach our destination before we are caught in a sandstorm which according to the sources here is about two days away. I also inputted the coordinates Sharack had given us. The trip should take us about a day or two."

"How about the path going there?"

"Bare, my lord. There is nothing, but sand and rocks and the usual predators. However there are smaller settlements not on this map, I hope we find one to restock before nightfall."

"Then I guess we better get moving."

* * *

><p><em>Zzzznnng! Zzznnnggg! <em>

"What is that?" Xy'liah asked grabbing onto the side of the landspeeder as it jerkily tilted side to side briefly.

"I'm not sure, my lord. I will check it out right away. We must've hit something," said Quinn as he steered the landspeeder carefully toward a nearby boulder. Once parked, Xy'liah jumped out, taking the quick opportunity to stretch her legs before having to commit herself to the journey again. She frowned at the landspeeder Quinn had rented. The speeder itself was a small civilian two seaters with a small cargo bay for their belongings. She was not used to such a low end landspeeder. All the ones she has been in were heavily armored and equipped for any danger. This dinky one, however, was not armored whatsoever, no equipments to defend themselves with, and had an open cockpit with a partial windscreen which somewhat helped with the sand hitting their faces and hair when Quinn took the vehicle to its' full speed.

Xy'liah sighed as she leaned against the boulder Quinn had parked beside. The suns were getting ready to go down and darkness would soon engulf the planet. They needed to find a place to stay soon lest risk getting caught in the sandstorm or freeze to death by the night temperature which ever came first. The young Sith shifted her eyes to the Imperial working quickly on their landspeeder. He showed no sign of fatigue behind those goggles of his though Xy'liah could feel it from within him, "What's wrong with it?"

"It is the repulsors," he said. "Remember when I said we must've hit something? Well it is causing one of the repulsors to malfunction. It looks as if it's not receiving a constant amount of power as the other ones are. The weight of the vehicle is too much for the other repulsors to hold up alone."

"Great." The young woman rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I can fix it, my lord, but we will have to stay overnight somewhere. It should be ready by the morning," said Quinn.

"_You _know how to fix speeders too?"

"It was apart of my training. I can fix basic things."

The two looked around the vast sandy desert. There didn't seem to be any nearby settlements. Quinn watched as the young Sith closed her eyes, reaching out to the Force. She stayed in that position for about a minute or two before opening them back up.

"There."

Quinn turned toward where she was pointing.

"There. I could feel a small presence in the Force in that direction," Xy'liah pointed.

"But my lord, going in that direction will cause us to go off course. We'll be behind schedule."

"Well we don't have a choice, now do we Captain? Unless you would rather sleep on the cold sandy ground, you'd be lucky to find yourself not buried by the time morning hits. Besides, that speeder won't last long anyways, right?" The Sith mumbled a few other indistinctive things to herself as she jumped back into the speeder, awaiting her Captain to follow. Her face wore a frown as she crossed her arms within the speeder, staring straight ahead.

Quinn reluctantly followed after making sure all the landspeeder's parts were put back in place. He knew the Sith well enough to know that if annoyance sets in, there was no negotiating. He quickly started the speeder again and carefully navigated toward the direction Xy'liah had pointed to.

It didn't take long to find the settlement Xy'liah spoke of. An hour after travelling in the direction, they came upon a moderate sized house with small dome sized buildings around it. It was too small to be a village and as the duo came to find out, it was actually a small farmland belonging to a local family.

"Please, we don't want any trouble. We are nothing, but a poor farm family. We have a hard time supporting ourselves already," said the older woman, who greeted them as they got out of the speeder.

"We don't want anything," said Xy'liah. "I am Xy'liah and this is Captain Quinn. We merely seek shelter for the night. Our speeder has encountered some technical problems along the way; it'll break down if we were to continue without repair."

"Well what does this look like to ya?" said the older man. "A repair shop? We ain't got nuttin' here that is useful to ya. Now be off on your way back to your Republic or Imperial town-whichever you came from."

"Now, Reed, we cannot just turn away these poor kids," said his wife. "You are more than welcome to stay the night!"

"Now ya've done it, Maritha! Inviting strangers into the house! What if they meant to harm us? Ya don't know who they are! They could be Republics! Imperials! Or worst-apart of the Exchange!"

"We do not wish to stay any more than what is necessary," said Quinn. "One of the repulsors on our speeder is damaged. I can repair it overnight and we'll be gone by morning."

Behind them two more figures appeared: a young teenaged lady and boy.

"Father," began the young lady. Her voice was soft spoken and she seemed overly shy of the two strangers as she partially hid behind her brother. "Isen could help with the repairs. After all, he has a crateful of parts. Maybe one of them will be of use?" She looked up at her younger brother. "What do you say, Isen?"

The young boy furrowed his brows as he examined the landspeeder behind the two strangers, "It looks like an old model. Should be simple enough. Show me what you need."

Quinn nodded and took the young boy to the speeder as Xy'liah followed the rest toward their house.

"I don't mean to probe dear, but what were you two doing out in the middle of nowhere?" asked Maritha.

"We're on our way to visit a long lost uncle, who I was last told dwelled nearby. We are hoping to reach his place before the storm hit," Xy'liah said.

"Ah, well you must be tired and hungry. Why don't you freshen up before we have dinner? You can then tell us the rest of your story. It's not often we get visitors, so forgive us if we seemed a bit too interested. Yvesa, come show our guest to the guest room!"

The young lady nodded as she turned toward Xy'liah, "Our guest room is upstairs. Follow me."

She led the Sith to the back of the house and up a few stairs and corridor before unlocking a door. The room Xy'liah stepped into was pretty small and cramped, and though she was used to much luxurious accommodations, she didn't complained. After all, it was better than spending the night in their cramp, dinky landspeeder. The Sith examined the room carefully. There were two small beds perpendicular to each other and a small round table in the middle. To the far left corner was a small door leading to a washroom.

"Please, make yourself comfortable," Yvesa said as she watched the young woman examined the room. "Dinner is currently cooking, but it will be ready by the time you come down. I'll also tell your husband to bring up the rest of your belongings."

Xy'liah quickly turned to look at Yvesa after her statement. The young lady's face turned red at the realization of her mistake, "I'm sorry. I just assumed that—"

"Don't be. You did nothing wrong," the young human smiled at her.

Yvesa smiled back as the redness in her face subsided. She then left the room, leaving Xy'liah to her thoughts.

Quinn entered the room shortly after, carrying both their keepsacks, "Bad news, my lord. It seemed the repulsor I examined earlier is damaged more than I thought. We would have to replace it completely in order to continue. Isen has a few spares. The kid is genius when it comes to any mechanics. He showed me his workshop in the back. We should have it working by tomorrow morning." His eyes followed the Sith as she undid her bun, letting locks of wavy brown hair run down her back. He watched, waiting for her answer as she ran her fingers through her hair shaking out any sand that was not otherwise stuck to her.

"Do what you have to do, Captain. I just want us out of here before Baras decides to check in."

"Yes, my lord. I must contact the ship and update it on our progress." He gave a short bow before turning to take out his comlink.

* * *

><p>The next morning Quinn awakened before the rise of the suns to hear particles hitting the sides of the house. He cursed under his breath as he came to realized what it was. The sandstorm had hit them earlier than expected and judging by the sound of it, it would postpone their trip for today. The young Captain looked over to the sleeping Sith as he pondered what to do in his head. He knew she was not going to be happy about this. She was already feeling pressure from Baras to immediately find the Jedi Master and bring him down. Any second wasted put them further and further behind Nomen Karr. It will only be a matter of time before the Dark Lord decided to check on them and he certainly will not be pleased to hear of this interference.<p>

Letting out a small sigh, Quinn grabbed his goggles and helmet off the round table in between the two beds and set out for the speeder.

"Look whose up!" Maritha said as the young woman entered the kitchen.

"Where is everyone?" Xy'liah asked.

"That Captain of yours is one of a kind. He woke up so early just to go out and fix your vehicle during this sandstorm. I know it's none of my business, but if you ask me, that kind of loyalty and dedication is rare. You picked a good one, dear."

Xy'liah smiled at the older woman, "He's only doing what is required of him."

"Even so, I don't see that many men willing to do what he does. Why don't you go give this water to him," Maritha handed the Sith a small pouch full of water. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it. After all, being in those sandstorms can get you mighty thirsty."

Xy'liah obeyed though she normally wouldn't, but she had to get the Captain alone to be updated on their status and this seemed to be the perfect excuse. She exited the small shelter quickly to avoid sand being blown inside and walked to where Quinn had parked the speeder last night. She found him crouched over, busy tinkering with the vehicle with Isen next to him. As she approached, the young boy caught sight of her first and greeted in a hearty voice, "I see you're up. The storm is delaying us fixing the speeder, but it should be done soon." He turned toward Quinn, who looked up at the Sith. "Captain, I need to go switch out the parts. I'll be back." The young boy smiled and left.

Quinn stood up as he watched Isen go and turned to salute Xy'liah as soon as he was gone, "Everything is proceeding nicely, my lord though we are a bit behind than my original calculations. I hadn't planned on the sandstorm hitting us so soon."

Xy'liah handed him the water pouch, "We are spending more time here than I would like. I hope to leave by tonight."

"You're too kind my lord," said Quinn as he took the water pouch.

Xy'liah watched as the Captain thirstily drank from the pouch, swallowing every single droplet of water coming out of the hole. Maritha was right. Being in the sandstorm can get one dying of thirst. She watched him finish the pouch and wiped his mouth with the back of his gloved hand before returning it to her.

* * *

><p>Quinn returned a few hours later excited at the fact that young Isen had gotten the speeder to work. Surely now they can be on their way to the farmhouse. Quinn smiled at the thought of informing his superior officer of their success, but he was not prepared for what he was about to face as he stepped into the room blindly, "My lord! Great news!" His blue eyes quickly scanned the room for the young woman.<p>

He found her back turned toward him as she was busy fidgeting with something in front of her. Her hair was let down again and as his eyes trailed down the length of the brown hair, he saw droplets of water dripping from the end of her hair and running down her exposed back. His excitement turned into sheer embarrassment as he realized the young woman was wearing nothing, but her undergarments.

"Like what you see?" she said sensing his thoughts.

Quinn quickly averted his eyes as the young Sith turned to face him, "I-I came to inform you that the landspeeder is working properly now. We would be able to continue our way to the farmhouse as soon as the sandstorm stops." He waited for the Sith to acknowledge his words before setting out, but she was in no hurry to rush their meeting nor was she in dressing.

"What's wrong, Captain?"

The sound of her voice ran from her lips to his ears and down his spine in the form of a small shiver. Quinn knew she wasn't going to budge until he faced her. He forced his blue eyes toward the Sith, who stood where she was playfully untangling knots in her hair, "I'm sorry, my lord. I didn't know you were in the middle of dressing. I should've knocked before I came in. I'll leave you to your privacy."

She started walking in his direction, "Are you telling me that you'd rather leave than stay here with me?" Her hands reached out to his chest, running them up and around his neck.

"With all due respect, we are currently in the middle of a mission. We should keep focus solely on the mission and nothing else."

"Mission?" the young Sith gave a small chuckle. "We can't continue our mission until this sandstorm is over. What else is there to do, but wait? And speaking of waiting—" she flashed him her infamous smile. "-what do you say we make time pass by faster?"

Quinn frowned. Just when he had thought she was becoming more discipline and committed to her duties, things like this instantly reminded him of how young and immature she still was. But yet for a reason unknown even to himself, he found himself quite drawn to her. It was true she was the complete opposite of what Quinn thought a young Sith Lord should behave like, but even though he detested the way she behaved, he had great respect for everything else about her. Quinn clenched his fists as he stood there watching the young Sith, his anger building up the longer she stayed in front of him, "My lord, this is most inapp—"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" came a scream. The two turned quickly toward their only window.

"Shut up!" came a more faint voice.

"Something's wrong," said Quinn. "I'll go check it out." He quickly pushed the Sith away from him and exited the room, taking out his blaster.

The Imperial quickly descended the stairs as he followed the sound of the voices. He came upon the living room which was unusually silent. Quinn quickly searched the room for any sign of danger before spotting a small crack in one of the windows just enough for him to see what was going on. He crept up slowly to it and peered outside to see a group of masked individuals surrounding the family. The sandstorm had died down due to the low temperature of the early evening making it easier to hear, but the setting suns blinded him as he tried to assess the situation.

Maritha, Reed, and Isen were all terrified on the ground as blaster rifles surrounded them. Yvesa, however, was a little off with another group of individuals. She was locked tightly by the arm of one of the individuals, tears flowing down her face. Next to them, another individual stood tall. Assuming by his authoritative tone, he was the leader of the pack.

"I already told you, we do not have enough!" Maritha cried out. "We are barely getting by as it is. The weather's been harsh this harvest that we're making less than before. Please let my daughter go!"

"How stupid do you think I am?" said the individual standing between the two groups. "If you do not have enough credits to pay us for our protection, then maybe we should take her into town to sell. The money she'll make for us will be more than enough to cover your debt." Some of crew around him laughed at the idea.

"Please, we can pay ya double next time," said Reed. "We'll work out something. I'll find other ways to make money."

Quinn clenched his teeth as he listened. So they were being extorted for protection money? No wonder Reed had been so cautious about them in the beginning.

After listening for a few minutes, Quinn stood up and went around to the back of the house where Isen's workshop was located. There was another door there that led around the house he remembered. If he approached from that area, he could take down a couple of the crew before any one of them noticed him.

"Please let me go!" Yvesa cried as she tried to wrestle her way out of the lock the man had on her, but his grip only tightened. She watched as her mother, father, and brother pleaded for her freedom.

Within the past several harvests, a small part of the Exchange thugs have been making trips to their small farm to collect what they called protection money. From what they were protecting them from, Yvesa didn't know, but somehow they had gotten her father fearful of them. Lately it's been hard to gather enough crops and water to sell in the market place. They had to deny them their money the harvest before, an unpleasant experience Yvesa remembered. Her father came back with broken ribs and bruises everywhere, but it bought them time. Now she feared the thugs will do worst this time around.

Yvesa watched as the leader of this small group, Tilar, hit her father over the head with the butt of his blaster rifle. Yvesa winced at the sight of her elderly father hitting the sand. She watched as her mother rushed to his aid.

Young Isen quickly seized the opportunity to land a few blows to the nearest member, but was thrown to the ground by the others. Yvesa felt her heart jumped as the members surrounded her younger brother.

Suddenly a blaster was shot and Yvesa closed her eyes at the horrifying sound, "ISEN!"

"UGH!"

Yvesa opened her eyes, confused at the sound of the deep voice that could not have been her brother's. She looked to see her brother still alive with one of the thugs on the sandy floor. A few more blaster bolts were heard and several more members came down.

"What's going on?" asked Tilar turning toward his fallen comrades. They all turned their direction to the blaster bolts to find more coming their way. The group surrounding her family members dispersed, searching for cover to fire back.

Yvesa shielded her eyes against the setting suns to see the familiar outline of Quinn rushing at them firing his blaster left and right. He dove behind one of their moisture silos for cover and stayed there.

"He can't take all of you guys out! Go surround him!" yelled Tilar to the rest of the group.

A few of the individuals surrounding Yvesa rushed toward their comrades' aid. Yvesa watched, worried as the group quickly devised a tactic to bring down the Captain. Surprisingly he was able to counter most of their attempts. He continued dodging each and every one of the members, taking down a few more and closing in the distance between him and her family.

However, during the midst of the chaos, everyone lost sight of Tilar. As soon as the Captain made his way to her family, Yvesa caught sight of the thug's leader sneaking up behind him.

"Quinn watch out!" Yvesa yelled. She watched the Captain quickly turned around and aimed his blaster at the leader, but Tilar was faster. He jammed the end of the blaster rifle into the Captain's stomach before quickly knocking away his blaster.

Quinn fell to the ground, one hand clutching at the spot the butt of the blaster rifle hit and the other propping himself from hitting the ground. The individual before him once again use the weight of his weapon to knock him completely off his feet.

"Gather him with the others!" Tilar yelled as some of his comrades rushed to seize Quinn. He watched as they dragged Quinn to join the group.

"Captain!" Isen yelled as he rushed to Quinn's side when they released him.

"Oh, dear," Maritha exclaimed.

Quinn shook his head as he felt Isen supporting him to his knees.

"So, you hired someone to come take us out?" Tilar yelled, making his way to Reed. "Are you really that stupid? I should kill every single one of you for that!" His face reddened as anger filled him. He glared down at the older man and woman, who cowered in fear before him.

"It's not what ya think," Reed said weakly from the arms of his wife.

"I don't care what it is!" Tilar walked to Quinn, who was still trying to regain conscious. He pointed his blaster at the Captain's head. Before he could pull the trigger however, another interference occurred, but this time from the other group. Tilar turned toward the group to see his comrades once again falling over. But it wasn't from blaster bolts this time.

"L-lightsaber!" cried someone from behind him.

Tilar watched as the lightsaber acted as boomerang, cutting and slicing everything in its path. Before it could fall to the ground, a shadowy figure jumped from one of the house's windows and landed firmly in front of Yvesa, catching the lightsaber in her hand.

Tilar's eyes widened at the sight of the individual.

"SITH!" cried the crew. Panic started all around Tilar.

"SHUT UP!" He yelled. They obeyed though he could hear some whimpering from some of them.

Yvesa's eyes widened at the older woman before her, "Xy'liah! You're…Sith?"

Xy'liah turned toward the young girl, "Find cover!"

Yvesa obeyed quickly, somewhat fearing what would happen if she didn't. She rushed toward the nearest object to hide behind and watched as Tilar spoke.

"So you don't have enough money to pay for your protection, but you can hire a Sith? I guess you really are stupid after all. Have you not heard the stories?" He turned toward Reed once more. "Sith are merciless. After she kills us, she will kill you. You want to put your trust in her?" His lips curled up in a smile. "Well, today might be your lucky day. I'll do you this favor of getting rid of the Sith. Then you can pay me what you were going to pay her and more. Watch, you're about to see your protection money go to good use!" He turned toward the Sith and fired a bolt at her. She quickly deflected it with the lightsaber in her hand.

Next to him, Isen fell back as Quinn used the young boy to launch himself at the nearest member. He took out a vibroknife and quickly stabbed the member with it. Using his feet to knock over the member, Quinn, then, grabbed the fallen blaster rifle and aimed it at the rest of the members.

In the far distance, Xy'liah rushed toward Tilar, who started firing random bolts out of frustration and panic. The leader slowly stepped back in fear as he fired one bolt after another. This fear grew bigger and bigger the closer the Sith advanced toward him after deflecting or dodging his bolts.

Yvesa watched Xy'liah launched herself toward Tilar, bringing her lightsaber straight through his chest. The young girl gasped at the gory sight. The action left her sick to her stomach. She could never understand the thrill anyone got from killing another. But Xy'liah, as she recently found out was Sith. They kill without hesitation and apparently live on the thrill of kills as she overheard the townspeople saying.

The young Sith left her weapon inside Tilar, saturating it with his blood for a few seconds before slowly pulling out the weapon and deactivating it.

After making sure all members were down, Yvesa slowly got up from her place and ran toward her mother.

"YVESA!" Maritha exclaimed as she hugged her daughter with joy. Isen and Reed came to join the hug and for a moment, the family stayed in the position, each relieved for it to be over. Their joyous moment was cut short as Xy'liah's shadow loomed over them. They all looked fearful at her as she stared down at them.

"Thank ya for saving us," Reed said. "We will do whatever we can to repay ya. We are in ya debt." He looked upon the young woman as her injured comrade came to join them from behind her, dusting off his blaster and vibroknife from the sands.

"Your hospitality is payment enough," she said. She turned toward the injured Quinn.

"It's nothing, my lord. Just a small cut," he assured her, feeling the side of his head. He frowned as he felt the small amount of blood.

"If it hinders your ability to complete the mission, it's something. Get it patched up before we set out tomorrow. I think we all deserve a rest for tonight."

"Yes, my lord."

Xy'liah gave the family and Quinn one final glance before setting out to return to her room.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, the pair set out early before the suns rose in case there was another sandstorm. The rest of the journey was continued in silence, each was quite happy to finally be back on the road.

They reached Jeef's farmhouse by midday and was greeted by the old man himself and Sharack. The young woman turned to greet them as they entered, "Ah, Sith, you made it. The hostiles outside were no match for you I see."

"They tried to stop me. They failed," said Xy'liah crossing her arms at the two.

"Failure could be contagious," Jeef said meeting the Sith's eyes. "and hard to dispel once contracted. You are the seeker Sharack spoke of. You wished to understand the Jedi's purpose in the lair of the sand demon?"

"You see it correctly."

"My eyes may be aged and failing, but my mind sees." Jeef smiled at the two before Sharack urged him to make haste with his knowledge at the sight of Xy'liah's growing impatience. He did as told, speaking of the planet from long ago. He spoke of how Jedi used to make pilgrimages to the desert planet to learn and renew. There was some kind of ritual performed called the Blood of the Demon which was the same exact test the Padawan was witnessed going through. This ritual required one to cover oneself with the blood of the Sand Demon and travel to the village of the savage ones which Sharack clarified later to be the Sand People. There was something about the blood that made the Sand People feared it and gave respect for the slayer at the same time. They, in turn, revealed to the Jedi the path of enlightenment which the Jedi further used to commune themselves with the Force.

Sharack wasted no time giving them the next coordinates which to both their dismay was a little than half a day's away. Jeef had advised the couple to leave at night where there would be less danger and attention attracted to them by the Sand People.

The two waited and rested for the rest of the day for the suns to set. They were left unattended in a small waiting room while Sharack busily listened to the old man's so called words of wisdom in another room. The young Sith immediately took to mediating, hoping to find out the answer to the Padawan's mysterious fight with the Sand Demon while Quinn took the time to read over HoloNet news and inspect his weapons and supplies.

Quinn watched as Xy'liah took the time to meditate on the situation. He, himself, should be concentrating on the mission, but he found it quite difficult to focus his mind. Ever since last night, images of the Sith Lord filled his head and he couldn't help, but wondered her true intentions toward him. Their last conversation was cut short due to the unexpected arrival of the Exchange thugs, leaving Quinn quite confused. Even while en route to Jeef's farmhouse, random images of Xy'liah ran through his mind: the way she looked right before they heard Yvesa scream, the way her long brown wavy hair billowed around her as her arms were wrapped around his neck and the scent of her body as she was mere inches away from his face. He found himself longing to relive that moment, wondering how it would've continued had they were both left uninterrupted.

"What is it, Quinn?"

The question caught Quinn off guard and he quickly tried to connect his brain to his mouth.

"I know something is bothering you, Captain," said Xy'liah, her eyes still closed. "You're not annoying me with your usual plans."

Quinn swallowed. His mind quickly calculated how appropriate it was to bring the subject up. _She's a Sith. She can read minds. Chances are, she already knows._ It was better to clear it up now than to drag it out if it was nothing at all. The young Captain looked to the Sith, waiting for her eyes to open and address him. When she made it clear that she would not, he opened his mouth and slowly started,"My lord, you caused me some difficulty and I'd like to confirm it was unintended." He watched her as she stayed in the same position. "Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but it would seem some time ago you expressed an interest in me beyond our professional relationship."

At this the young woman opened her eyes and focused them straight onto Quinn. A smile formed at the corners of her lips, "Kept you up at night, have I? Got you tossing and turning?"

"In a manner of speaking. Which is why I bring it up. I'll admit, you have a knack for…surprising me. I'm typically swifter on my toes. I should have immediately said that any personal involvement between us could cloud judgment and compromise your campaign."

The Sith stood up and walked over to the Captain. She studied him for a bit, hovering over the nervous Captain, no doubt reading him and his expressions as he waited for her answer. Her amber eyes twinkled with amusement and mischievousness as they stared into his sapphire blue eyes. Then slowly, her hand reached out to his chest, pushing him back against the back of the chair he was sitting in as she straddled him, using her knees to lift her so that she could look down upon his face. A smile formed from the corners of her mouth as she leaned toward him further.

Quinn's heart began pounding faster at the anticipation of what was going to happen next. His hands gripped the armrests of the chair, bracing himself as the young woman's face came closer and closer to his.

But to his surprise, she tilted her head last minute so that it was now right next to his left ear. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt her hot breathing upon his ear.

"I like taking risks," she whispered to him and Quinn could feel her soft lips brushing against the lobe of his ear. Quinn's breathing became louder as his heart pounded faster. "Relax yourself, Captain." He heard her say next and Quinn instinctively obeyed, forcing every tensed muscle within his body to relax.

In the next instant, he felt the sensation again as Xy'liah took his lobe with her lips. She bit it playfully and started playing with the sensitive area with her tongue.

All senses in Quinn's body were on alert every time Xy'liah did something to his lobe. He felt a tingling sensation in and out of his body as the Sith Lord began blazing a hot wet trail to his neck. He felt his eyes drooping and finally closing as his body enjoyed the sensations the Sith Lord was causing. His head moved in the opposite direction to allow the Sith Lord more room to play. He was clearly enjoying this way too much as made clear by the throbbing area between his legs and when the Sith Lord came into contact with the area where his neck met his shoulders, Quinn felt his length hardened even more.

She didn't stay in that area for long and soon began to retrace her previous steps with her nose softly brushing against his skin. The little moment when she stopped allowed Quinn to regain his composure enough to open his eyes and turned his face toward her. She was very close to him. In fact noses and lips were barely brushing each other.

Quinn lifted his eyes to stare at her, studying her face. There was no denying that the young woman before him was indeed attractive, but he couldn't let that get in the way of his mission. After all he had joined her with the intention of helping the Empire more than he could have if he were to stay on Balmorra. Maybe if he were to further explain to her the reason why they couldn't be involved, she would open her eyes. After all, she has been listening to him as of late. But before he could find the words, he found himself involuntarily leaning in toward the Sith as a part of his mind was fearing another interruption.

Their lips met and for a moment all thoughts of the mission disappeared as Quinn allowed himself to indulge in the quick moment of pleasure that slowly engulfed him. She took her time with him, toying and playfully biting his lower lips as her hands ran from his core to around his neck. Quinn shuddered as he felt them run over his body. His hands were on a journey of their own as they slowly loosed their grips on the armrests and ran their way up the sides of the Sith Lord's thighs stopping to grip her hips. His hands moved again, brushing past her ass and slowly travelling up her back. He pushed her closer and held her firmly as he continued to kiss her. The intensity increased with each passing second and Quinn found his thoughts wandering. Images from the night before once again came rushing into his head and he felt his length impossibly thickening more as a response.

He wanted her and he wanted her bad. If only…if only-

The moment of pleasure disappeared quickly just as it came. An image of the Dark Lord entered Quinn's mind, forcing him back to reality. He couldn't do it. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted now especially when he had been recently given an opportunity to prove his worth to the Empire. There were still so much left for him to complete. If he were to allow this, he wouldn't be able to focus or concentrate on his objectives. His hard work would all be for nothing.

"This…" he began slowly pushing the Sith away from him. "My lord, I am drawn to you, make no mistake. But this should not continue. It's improper."

"Loosen up, Quinn," she said as if reading his thoughts. "It's that little fact that makes it so much fun." That familiar mischievous smile returned to her face once more before she got off the chair, grabbed her keepsack and headed to the washroom.

_Fun? _He should've known. Of course this was nothing, but fun to her. She, a Sith who wielded the power to do anything. She could have anyone she wanted, anything she wanted. Why would she settle for someone like him? _She wouldn't. _He was nothing, but her little gadget that she found amusing to tinker with. One day, she will move on and he will be tossed aside. He couldn't get attached to that. No, he _refused _to get attached to that.

He watched her entered the washroom, somewhat saddened by the turn out. He had always known that one day the Sith will marry someone her equal. Perhaps another Sith Lord as equally if not more powerful than she is. Their offspring will grow to become more powerful than their parents, eventually continuing the legacy. It was the logical choice, but yet somehow there was a small part of Quinn that hoped otherwise.

* * *

><p>"Anything?" Sharack asked.<p>

Xy'liah shook her head, "I've been thinking it over and over, but other than the fact that she might've used the Force, I can't think of any other way that she would be able to face it unharmed. Maybe the creature could be persuaded by the Force? After all the Jedi stressed on the Force when training their pupils from what I heard."

"In any case, you'd better get ready and going," Sharack said. "Night is here. I will meet you at the Sand People's compound afterwards. Good luck."

Xy'liah nodded as she adjusted her bracers. Quinn came by her side as he adjusted his own armor before turning to her, "Ready, my lord?"

"I'm always ready," she replied.

* * *

><p>"I think it's best to set out on foot from here," said Xy'liah as they neared a bunch of jagged rocks. "You should contact Sharack to get the speeder on her way here."<p>

Quinn nodded and immediately set out to do just that as the Sith grabbed her keepsack from the speeder. After his short message, he turned to see Xy'liah only to find her distance ahead, walking toward what seemed to be a cavern or tunnel of some kind. He grabbed his own belongings before running to catch up to the Sith. He watched her as she walked. It was so strange to him how she could instantly change from the Sith she was last night to the one she is now. It was as if she had a switch that she could turn on and off at will. Quinn shook his head, forcing the thoughts out as they neared the cavern. He needed to concentrate on what was up ahead and that was how to enter and leave the demon's lair unscathed.

The two entered the short cavern to find the light at the other end. The short tunnel led to an enclosed area surrounded by tall cliffs where the morning lights of the suns shone directly upon the sand, making them quite hot. So this was the demon's lair and sure enough in the corner of the cavern was the Sand Demon itself. The two took a few steps to get a closer look. Quinn's eyes widened as he stared onto the creature. It was humongous in size with sharp drill-like claws that seemed to glisten in the sunlight. His eyes trailed up the creature, noting its' natural thick scaly armor. He could see why the Sand People were so afraid of it now. None of their weapons could penetrate that armor of it, making his blaster and vibroknife completely useless if that was the case.

"My lord, permission to speak. I have thought about our present undertaking," Quinn said, taking advantage of the little time they had before they engaged in what would appear to be a long and violent battle.

The young Sith turned to face him, "Speak, Captain."

"I'm not sure what the Padawan could have done to avoid a physical confrontation with the Sand Demon. No doubt some Jedi mind manipulation. But if a girl nascent with the Force could quell the beast, surely we can. And then we can slaughter the monster with ease."

Xy'liah smiled, "Are you concern about facing the Sand Demon, Quinn?"

"An unknown enemy is always a concern. But I've seen you overcome fearsome foes before." A roar rushed at them and the two turned to see the creature directly facing them. "It seems our time is upon us. The demon has caught our scent."

As they approached the beast, it stomped its massive claws on the sandy grounds, indicating its readiness for battle. Sharp, razor-like teeth appeared as it growled even more menacingly at the two. Quinn watched as the young woman stood before the creature. For that very short moment, she seemed to resemble someone of royalty for she stood tall and proud, not even flinching as the monster continued to roar at her. He admired her sense of courage, but worried about her carelessness which was present in almost anything she did.

Xy'liah looked up at the demon as it growled down at her. It was obvious it was angered by the pair's intrusion and Xy'liah could sense the creature ready to attack at any instant. Still, the young Sith held its gaze, making sure the creature was looking her completely in the eyes before she shouted, "Desert monster, I stand my ground! I will not run!"

The growling stopped as the demon seemed to be contemplating her words. It shrank back a bit, looking side to side confused by the human's action. After a few seconds, it went back to growling again, this time coming closer to the Sith.

But Xy'liah remained motionless as the creature drew to its full height, towering over her and Quinn. Sand blew into their faces as the creature drew its breath and roared. Quinn took a few steps back as a precaution; his hand ready to grab his blaster should the demon attack. The young Sith, however, stood her ground and never lost eye contact as the beast pounded its claws into the ground, creating temporary dents within the sands.

"Look into my eyes, beast," she commanded.

As if obeying, the creature craned its neck forward until its face was close to Xy'liah. There it stayed, staring into the amber eyes of the Sith. It lowered its' head after a while; a sign of submission and cowered back a bit after seeing that the Sith will not attack.

Quinn watched, amazed at the display. Xy'liah showed no sign of fear or any emotions for that matter. It was at that moment that Quinn realized the key. _Of course! _The Sand Demon is like any other creature regardless of its size and appearance. And like any other creature, it wouldn't dare waste its time and energy to attack anything that it considered as the bigger predator. Who knew it could be as simple as that?

Xy'liah closed her eyes, allowing the Force to flow through her. She reached out through it to the monster, making the connection. She sensed a mixture of emotions: fear, confusion, anger. Her earlier attempt of getting it to drop its guard was successful and she could now, through the Force, enter its mind.

"We are one, at peace," she said to calm the creature even further. She felt it relaxed at her words, slowly trusting itself completely to the Sith. It continued to stare into her eyes as if in a trance. Slowly its lids lowered until it completely closed its' eyes and dropped to the floor.

Xy'liah watched as the demon fell deep into its peaceful slumber. She turned toward Quinn, "The beast sleeps. Now let us see what transpires."

Quinn's eyes never once left the beast as he waited. A light engulfed the creature, glowing brightly as it did. Quinn instinctively turned away to shield his eyes. It died down after a few seconds later as an overwhelming stench took its place and filled the air of the cavern. Quinn turned back to look as the Sand Demon shed its' skin; blood oozed out from it.

"I've never seen a beast bleed so much. It seem like we are to literally bathe in the demon's blood." He wrinkled his nose as the stench ran up his nostrils and blinked his eyes to prevent a few tears from falling. "The beast's stench is thick on us. It makes my eyes water."

The Sith Lord smiled, unaffected by what is happening to her companion, "You don't fool me, Quinn. You're crying!"

Quinn frowned at the accusation. There goes another immature response, "Dealing with the beast was an impressive experience, but it does not move me. I believe we have succeeded in the Sand Demon Ritual. Are we to move on to the Sand People's compound, my lord?"

"When you are through."

"Then lead the way, my lord."

* * *

><p>Jeef had been correct when he told them of the Sand People's fear of the demon and its slayer. As Xy'liah and Quinn entered the village, all eyes and heads turned toward them in fear. The stench of the demon's blood carried across the village with the help of a breeze, creating a path as it did. Xy'liah and Quinn made their way toward the end of the village where there was a small cave opening.<p>

Quinn looked side to side as he followed his master in. The Sand People seemed to have frozen at the sight of them for none dared to move or budged from their place as the two walked by. Only after they have passed did they run away in fear. It was quite interesting to see such an act from savages.

They made their way to a dimly lit place in the back where hides were sewn together as rugs, decorating the grounds along with piles of food and big jars of water. It was there that Xy'liah took to meditating once again as they waited for Sharack to rendezvous with them.

Quinn leaned against the pile of stocked food, watching for anyone coming up the path behind his master. His eyes occasionally shifted to her as he studied her in her deepest form of thoughts. She seemed too calm as she sat there, eyes closed. There almost seemed to be a small light of some sort radiating from her as she connected to the Force. An image of her the other night popped into his mind once again and Quinn quickly shook it away for fear of the Sith catching onto it.

After some time, Quinn's ears perked up as steps were heard coming from the cave's path. His eyes looked to the direction to see a shadow, cast by the dimly lit candles, moving toward them. He stood up straight as his hand rested on his blaster, "My lord."

The young Sith opened her eyes as she, too, sensed the presence and rose from her position, turning to face the incoming figure.

Sharack Breevs walked toward them, her eyes scanning the sight of the Sith and her companion, "I trailed and observed your descent here. I could not believe my eyes. The Sand People all ran from you. What transpired inside the demon's lair to make this so?"

"Let's just say I can be very persuasive," Xy'liah replied.

"Now that I have seen you up close, I can guess. You are covered in its' blood. Its' essence follows you."

Xy'liah and Quinn simultaneously looked down at their blood dried boots, each wondering how they were to remove it later on.

"Izzebowe said that it was here that your path will be illuminated. But there's nothing here," Sharack looked around the cave before catching sight of something moving out of the corner of her eyes. "Wait! On your guard, one of the Sand People approaches."

The three turned toward the incoming Sand person as it walked toward them. Behind her, Xy'liah could hear Quinn reaching for his blaster just as she reached for one of her lightsabers and igniting the crimson blade.

The Sand shaman cringed a bit at the sight of the blade and the Sith sensed fear emerging from it as it gave her a small bow. It then reached for something in its belt, and pulled out a withered parchment, slowly extending it to Xy'liah. The Sith snatched it from the shaman's hand, "I'll take that." The shaman bowed once more before fleeing.

"I've never seen the Sand People approach outsiders in peace," said Sharack as Xy'liah deactivated her lightsaber and unrolled the parchment. There were lines squiggled across the entire parchment in all directions.

"This parchment that was brought is incredible! It shows a crude, but clear map of the desert," Sharack said looking over Xy'liah's shoulders. "There!" She pointed to a small x on the map. "This marks a door carved into the walls of the Desert Wound Ravine. But…I have looked at the ravine and I have not seen such door."

"Tell me what else you know," said Xy'liah handing the young woman the map.

"I can tell you that humans are at the lower end of the food chain. The ravine marks the farthest that I or anyone else I know had dared venture." She took out her datapad and busily entered something into it.

Quinn's own datapad beeped a few seconds later as the Captain took it out to examine and handed it off to his superior officer.

"Those are the coordinates. I will follow stealthed, using the dune's shadows."

Xy'liah looked at the coordinates marked on the Captain's datapad before handing it back to him, "Fine. I'll see you there."

"You won't see me until I wished to be seen," Sharack quickly replied to which the Sith raised a questioning brow to. "Head deeper into the desert. You'll find the Desert Would Ravine there. Safe journey." Sharack gave a small bow before turning to leave the cave.

"She is definitely a weird one," Xy'liah said as she picked up her keepsack.

* * *

><p>The journey to the Desert Would Ravine took them until dusk the next morning, but neither of them dared to sleep for they were wilder creatures living around the area. They followed the coordinates until they came to an opening within the walls. This they followed as it led them deep between the walls.<p>

The path led to a small clearing where there was a small lake awaiting them at the end. As Xy'liah stepped deeper and deeper down the path, she could feel all senses in her body awakening. The Force was a strong presence here within this area. She could feel it all around her with a huge concentrated amount radiating from the lake itself.

The young Sith walked until she was the end of the road. Yes, the Force was strongest here. It rushed in and out of her body at such strength, overwhelming the young Sith. Xy'liah shook her head to clear her thoughts as something from the other end of the lake rose before her. It looked like a big ball of bright light and as it advanced closer to her, she could see it taking the form of her body. It advanced still, walking on the water until it came close. Xy'liah's eyes widened as she stood staring at what seemed to be a reflection of herself.

"You have lost your way, dark one," it spoke. "And I have come to correct your cause. I am the embodiment of your greatest potential. I am what you can be if you overcame your fear and walk in the light."

Xy'liah stood looking at the light speechless before finding the words to convey her thoughts.

"It's going to be a shame ruining your good looks," Quinn heard his master spoke. He raised a brow as he turned his attention to where she was looking. There was nothing, but a body of water beyond what she was looking at. But yet she stood there, staring at something that he couldn't see.

"To embrace in the dark, you are already ruined. To persist down this path, your life will be consumed by power and fear. Betrayal will await you at every corner. You'll never know who to trust," the reflection continued.

"I don't live in a fantasy world. Trust is an illusion!"

"To someone who only knows darkness, it would only seem so. You see, the dark side seeks to subjugate the Force. It treats the Force as an adversary to used and manipulated. When you embrace the light, you meld with the Force; become part of it. Then true clarity and peace can be achieved."

"This is a joke, right?"

"Look at our master. If the dark side is so profound, then why is Darth Baras afraid of a little girl? Nomen Karr's Padawan is merely learning about the light and already she strikes fear into the heart of the Dark Master."

"Yes, I do wonder that myself. Maybe she could show me a trick or two when I meet her."

"Let _me _show you," said the reflection. And within a second, the light rushed at Xy'liah, entering her body. The young Sith moaned in pain. It felt as if her body was being torn in two as the overwhelming force forced itself into her.

Quinn immediately rushed to his master's side after seeing her fall. He caught her before she hit the ground. She lay weak in his arms as he fumbled for a small kolto injection in one of the compartments of his utility belt. He was about to inject her when her eyes opened back up and life again returned to the amber eyes.

"My lord, you worried me. One second you were fine and the next you were on the ground," said Quinn as Xy'liah used him to push herself up. She grabbed her head in pain, but it slowly subsided and the voice once again spoke to her.

_Yes you have opened yourself to your true destiny. Now we are one. In the clarity of this communion, a vision of our destiny on Tatooine appears…_Xy'liah got down on her knees and closed her eyed. Her mind was clearer than usual and she found it easier to call upon the Force as a vision of a house appeared in her head as clear as day. _Can you see it too? An encampment hidden in the farthest reaches of the desert, past the rock formation called the Forbidden Pass. _

Xy'liah listened in awed as the vision stayed in her head, "Forbidden Pass? Tell me more…"

_There is no doubt that the Padawan went there. This is where the Jedi Master dwells. Go to the Forbidden Pass and see out Master Yonlach. It is there where our journey on this planet ends. Farewell. _

The vision slowly faded as Xy'liah opened her eyes. Any pain or uneasiness she had before dissipated and she found herself feeling quite renewed and refreshed. The young Sith stood up as Quinn stepped beside her. She could feel the young Captain's eyes studying her.

"I cannot believe what I just witnessed!" exclaimed a voice.

The Sith and Captain turned toward the voice, startled to see Sharack Breev with a terrified look upon her face.

"Did-Did you just tell yourself to venture beyond the Forbidden Pass?" The young woman's eyes were filled with worried.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"I only just arrived. I had no intention of listening in. I am chilled to the bone. The desert beyond the Forbidden Pass is an area that no one can survive. No one! Even the Sand People dared not go there! You mustn't go!"

"I _have _to go there."

"This is not some silly superstition! Those who go beyond the Forbidden Pass are never to be seen again! I will not-I cannot follow you there."

"Then I have no need of you anymore."

The look on Sharack's face turned into a melancholic one. She gave a deep sigh, realizing that her words had no effect on the Sith, "I told Darth Baras I would see your mission through, but I never imagined it would come to this. With a heavy heart, I give you the coordinates to the place. I am shamed that my cowardice paralyzes me. I fear I will never see you again."

"Don't worry, I don't plan on dying in this desert," the Sith said in her light hearted voice. Sharack frowned at her even more at the thought of her not taking this seriously.

"If you go to the Forbidden Pass that is exactly what you are doing. Good bye, my lord."

Xy'liah watched as the young woman walked off and disappeared into the desert. She turned toward Quinn to see the Captain already looking at her. He too had a concerned face on, "Well? What about you? Are you going to join her?"

"My duty is to you, my lord," he said, trying his best to keep a calm voice. However Xy'liah could still sense a small amount of fear in it. "Wherever you go, I will follow."

* * *

><p>Yul-li opened his eyes. Something has changed in the balance of the Force. Now he sensed two more additional life forms heading their way. He frowned. <em>So…they are here already.<em> He turned toward the Jedi Master behind him, who seemed to be unaffected by the change in balance as he continued to meditate.

He felt his muscles tensed up as he sensed the life forms getting closer and closer. He had recently just been sent to this encampment by Nomen Karr, who informed him of a dangerous threat to the Jedi Order. The older Jedi Master hadn't explained much of the mission to him (something he found odd) but somehow convinced him to volunteer to come to this desert planet.

When he arrived, he was surprised to see the long lost Jedi Master Yonlach. Rumors had it that he disappeared right after his training with Karr's new apprentice; gone straight into hiding. From what, Yul-li had no idea, but could only guessed that the Sith had caught scent of the Padawan. It was here that Yonlach explained everything to him and had even taken the time to train him in the Force, something Yul-li much needed now that he was going to be a bodyguard of a Jedi Master.

"Our confrontation with the Sith is inevitable," Yonlach had told him. "When the time comes, I hope the training you received will be enough."

He had to admit, the thought of facing a Sith or two had been quite unnerving, but lately he has been getting stronger in the Force thanks to the master's guidance. Now he felt more confidence in his ability to take them down. Yul-li stood up as he heard noises outside their door. _Showtime._

The door slid opened and Yul-li immediately ignited his green lightsaber as Yonlach opened his eyes behind him.

A few seconds later walked in two young human beings: a young woman and man. The young woman's amber eyes stared straight at Yul-li as she stepped into the safety of the shelter. There was something about them that strike a bit of fear into the Jedi Knight as he continued to stare at the young Sith. He was quite surprised with her appearance. He had expected a much larger form, more menace looking, but instead she was a young woman, younger than him in fact, slender in built and average in height. Her appearance was far from menace looking. Actually she looked quite pleasant and exotic in a certain way.

Yul-li looked at the facial markings that decorated the young woman's forehead and slowly made his way down to her toes. She was dressed in the most inconvenient outfit, barely armored at all. He had no idea the Sith dressed their apprentices in such degrading attires. Her low-cut armored vest didn't even covered her torso, and the pants she wore barely had any armoring or padding to it. Her body was mostly exposed and Yul-li found it quite difficult to comprehend how this creature was the fearsome enemy the masters had been talking about. _This is the Sith Master Nomen Karr was so afraid of? _

His eyes shifted to the man beside her. Unlike her, he was dressed in the appropriate armor, covered from head to toe. He wore a blaster on one side of his leg and no lightsabers at all. So, he was not Force sensitive. Then what was his purpose here? Surely he wouldn't be dense enough to think that he could take on two Jedi with only him and the Sith?

"Master Yonlach, the Sith you have been tracking is upon us. Please retreat to safety. I will take on this intruder," said Yul-li, his head half turned to the Jedi Master behind him as the Sith crossed her arms. Her weight shifted to one leg and she wore a rather amused smile, one that Yul-li found a bit disturbing.

"No Yul-li, control your feelings. Stand at my side and I will face this trespasser," said Yonlach coming to stand beside the Jedi Knight. "Come no farther, Sith. I am aware of your pilgrimage here. You are a fascinating and contradictory example of your order. I know why you've come. Master Nomen Karr's Padawan threatens you somehow. You seek to flush her out in the open and silence her."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," replied the Sith.

Yul-li frowned at the response. It was quite insulting for the Sith to deny any of her doings. Yonlach had closely been observing her since she landed on Tatooine. Was the Sith that dense to underestimate the powers of a Jedi Master and Jedi Knight?

"Don't insult me child. You are an open book to me. I know you are here for her. She came to me for guidance and the bond we struck is the most profound one in my life. We are psychically linked, she and I. I have already warned her about you. She will not fall for your manipulations."

The Sith widened her smile and raised a slight brow.

"I will not fall to your manipulations either."

Xy'liah gave her companion a look and shrugged at the master's statement. Obviously, this was a joke to her, but she was about to soon learn just how wrong she was.

"The disparity in our capacity is equal to the disparity in our age. You cannot win. Turn away now."

"I fear no one," she said with confidence.

Yul-li bit his lips as he watched the master and Sith. He felt something from within his core forming. He felt more tensed and uneasy, but at the same time there was a certain power that was slowly growing. The Sith's attitude and stupidity only fueled it more.

"This is not an attempt of intimidation. Just a simple statement of fact. In me, you face a full Jedi Master and Yul-li has greater command of a lightsaber than anyone I have trained."

"My lord, the threat is not lost on me. Are you certain we can take on a full Jedi Master and Jedi Knight?" asked the Sith's companion. Obviously he was the smarter of the two.

"The Jedi has no idea how potent you are, Quinn," she replied. Her voice seemed so cool and calm that Yul-li frowned in disgust. Lying to her companion? It was clear that this Sith had no heart if she was going to send him to his death like that. Then again, why would she? She had already fallen to the dark side. None of this should come as a surprise to him. The Sith was really everything Nomen Karr had told him: manipulative, cunning, with no feelings or regards for anything or anyone.

"I sense that a bluff, but no matter. Your compatriot's query is moot as you will be facing this on your own." The Jedi Master waved his hand and immediately the Sith's companion lost conscious and fell to the floor.

Yul-li watched as the Sith reached out to catch him before he hit the ground. Well at least she is caring in that way.

"Quinn!" She held him for a minute, making sure he was ok before slowly lowering him to the ground. She turned to face the Jedi Master, her face more displeased as ever though tone still remained cool and calm. "That was dirty, Jedi."

"Well done, Master Yonlach. Now please retreat and let me face the Sith," said Yul-li. He raised his lightsaber to a defense mode as the Sith stood up to face both of them, her amber eyes burning with rage.

"Your concern is appreciated, Yul-li, but I did not seize the advantage here just to relinquish it."

The Sith once again regained her earlier attitude, "It's probably better this way. Quinn only gets in my way."

Yul-li raised a brow. It was quite interesting how quickly she could change. It was as if she was a chameleon, adapting quickly to her surroundings. Maybe this was the reason why the Sith had chosen her?

"I sense his feelings for you, Sith. His devotion goes beyond professional duty," both the Master and Sith turned toward the fallen companion. For a moment, the Sith stared at him, contemplating the Master's words as Master Yonlach went on, "Such misplaced affection is a sign of self-loathing, I think. Now for the last time, will you stand down?"

"Hmm…let me think about it," she mockingly said as she turned back toward them.

Yul-li watched as she mockingly stood there, pretending to think. The unknown powers within him finally burst at her last statement, "Enough of this! It's useless to reason with a Sith!" He gripped his lightsaber and launched for her as she ignited her own to block him.

"Yul-li don't! Blazes my hand is forced!" He heard Yonlach said behind him, but the sound of his voice drowned out by the hissing of the blades as they met. Yul-li found himself staring into the eyes of his opponent once more. She held his gaze, smirking.

All of a sudden, he felt an enormous amount of strength from her side as she pushed him back. Yul-li landed a few feet away from the Sith, amazed at the strength she possessed for such a small body.

The Sith ignited another lightsaber as Yonlach ignited his blue blade. She crouched in a defensive stance, bringing the two crimson blades closer to her. Her amber eyes now burned a bright yellow-red as the darkness surged throughout her body. The markings upon her forehead appeared a bright red further confirming it. She snarled at them as she waited for their attack.

Yul-li brought his lightsaber up, gripping at the hilt as he braced himself for the attack.

She launched at them as he did earlier, bringing a blade to each of the Jedi. Yul-li brought his green blade to counter the crimson one once more, but was caught off guard when one of her foot came flying for his ribs. He winced at the pain, but kept his guard up as the crimson blade pushed closer to him. Before it could reach him, she retreated as Yonlach engaged her in battle.

Yul-li clutched at his side as he watched the two danced with their lightsabers. She was quite acrobatic, flipping and twirling to avoid the old man's attacks, who for his age was not so bad either. The young Jedi Knight watched for an opening and joined the battle, doing his best to attempt to disarm.

In one instance, both Jedi had their blades pressed against the Sith's. They both had her overpowered and would have ended the duel if she hadn't called upon the Force to push them both away. Each Jedi hit one side of the room's walls and fell to the ground as the Sith regained her balance.

"You are very strong in the Force," Yonlach said as he got up. He seemed weaker as a result of his frail body hitting the wall hard. "But I'm afraid it will not be enough to win." He called upon the Force and sent the nearest object flying toward the Sith, who sliced it apart with one of her lightsabers. Yul-li took advantage of this opening and swung his blade at her only to have her block it by quickly switching the position of her blade and bringing it up behind her back. His blue eyes watched the Sith's. _She's pretty good. _

"Yul-li!"

Yul-li turned toward the master to see a vase flying toward him. He tried to bring his lightsaber to defend himself, but couldn't for the Sith had him locked in a position using her body.

"AH!" he cried out as the vase bashed his head. Even the force of the vase was quite powerful for it knocked him at least a good distant away from the Sith. Yul-li panted as he felt a small stream of blood running down his forehead.

He watched as Yonlach continued to fight the Sith, but he could see the energy quickly failing the old man's body. She attacked with such force and speed that it was hard to recover in between blows at all. Inevitably, the Sith knocked the lightsaber out of the exhausted master's hand. He looked up at her, clutching at his side. She raised her weapon, ready to strike.

"Stop! Hold your weapon, Sith! I beg you!" Yul-li shouted.

"Yul-li, stay your tongue!" Yonlach shouted back, clutching at his side.

"No, she is just a Padawan," Yul-li argued, pushing himself up off the ground. "You are a great master. I must bargain for your life. Sith, I'll tell you everything I know if you spare Master Yonlach."

The Sith turned halfway to face him, but had her weapon ready to strike down Yonlach if necessary, "And what about you?"

Yul-li's heart pounded faster at the thought of dying, but forced himself to remain calm. Master Nomen Karr had told him long ago that once started, the Sith will stop at nothing until they quenched their thirst to kill. As Yul-li watched the young Sith's eyes burned with such hatred and passion, he knew what he had to do even if it did cost him his life, "Compare to Master Yonlach, I am nothing. You may do with me as you please." Yul-li looked past the Sith toward the Jedi Master, eyes pleading for forgiveness. "I'm sorry Master Yonlach, but I must do this." The eyes shifted to the Sith once more. "Her name is Jaesa Wilsaam and Master Nomen Karr has taken her to—"

"Yul-li, you have no recollection of the Padawan that this Sith seeks."

"I have no recollection of the Padawan this Sith seeks." Yul-li blinked stupefied at the two.

"Now, sleep," said Yonlach as he watched his apprentice fall to the ground beside the Sith's companion. "I do not relish wiping Yul-li's mind like that, but his feelings for me got the best of him." The old man forced himself to stand as the Sith turned toward him, surprised.

"You really are a dirty old man," she said. "Don't think about trying that nonsense on me, Jedi."

"Believe me I would, if I didn't sense it to be so futile. Jaesa is special, her power unprecedented. If untouched by the likes of you, she has the potential to lead the Jedi to greatness."

"Too late for that now."

"You know Jaesa's name, but that's all you'll get here. So you may as well kill me. I must find tranquility, so Jaesa will find only peace when you strike me down."

"I should as payback for using that mind trick on Quinn," she said. She stood up from her stance and shut down both her blades, returning them back to her utility belt. "And nothing will please my master more, but enough is enough. Her name is all I need. Tell her I only wished to talk."

The master's eyes widened at the Sith's action. Now it was his turn to be surprised, "You...you only wished to send a message?" His voice mirrored the emotion on his face.

"I'm pretty sure killing you certainly would make her come out of hiding, but she'll also be extremely difficult to reason with. I'm not trying to deal with an emotional woman."

"Because of the bond between Jaesa and me, she already knows what transpired here. What she will do with it is her own choice."

"I'm sure living with the guilt of what you did to your Padawan is worst than dying."

The Master lowered his head in shame, "I am not proud of it. Had I anticipated this unexpected turns of events, I would never. Be on your way, Sith. I will deal with Yul-li when he wakes."

He watched the Sith walked over to her companion. She kneeled next to him and took him into her arms before whispering into his ears. The master watched curiously as the Sith dealt with her companion.

A minute later, the companion opened his eyes and turned toward the Sith, startled. He quickly rushed to his feet, dusting himself off and looking around at the scene. His eyes landed on the Jedi Master and frowned as he stared at him, "My lord, why is he still here?"

"That's none of your concern," she replied back coldly. "We're done here."

The companion turned back toward his master, "My lord, I'm sorry I was no use to you. I did not anticipate the Jedi's—" His eyes shot at Yonlach once more. "-incapacitating tactic."

"Get over it," she replied, her attitude as cold as ever.

"I'm just thankful my support proved to be unnecessary. Sharack said she would be at our ship. She thought we were doomed. We should inform her of our success."

"She should never have doubted me."

"She's about to learn that, my lord."

The Sith turned once more toward the Jedi Master, who gave her a nod of acknowledgement before she turned to leave.

* * *

><p>"I never expected to see you again! Does this mean you ventured pass the Forbidden Pass and found Master Yonlach?" Sharack asked upon the Sith's arrival. Next to her, Vette smiled at the sight of Xy'liah and Quinn returning.<p>

"If you hadn't been such a coward, you wouldn't have to ask," said Xy'liah ignoring Sharack's presence. She handed her keepsack to Vette, who took it and returned up the ramp of Fury.

"I deserve that. This is a great lesson. The only barriers that exist are the ones we create in our minds. I will never again assume that I know all there is to know. And I will explore the entirety of the Tatootine desert without reservation."

"Heh, knock yourself out."

Sharack frowned at the Sith's sarcasm, but held her composure. She knew Sith don't take lightly to cowardice, but she hadn't expected her running away earlier to be such a bothersome to the young woman especially when all throughout her mission, Sharack did nothing, but observed, "I hope Lord Baras knows how fortunate he is to have a fine champion shepherding his cause. I shall never forget you."

"I bid you farewell, Sharack."

"Safe travels, my lord. If you are ever on Tatooine again, please come and see me," Sharack gave a small polite bow before heading off.

"It will be a pleasure to put this overheated sandbox behind us," Quinn said, cutting off Xy'liah's eye contact with Sharack's retreating body.

The Sith looked up at him and to the Captain's surprise, gave him a pleasant smile. It was different from her usual smile that always seemed to be hinting at an ulterior motive. No, this smile was genuine and—refreshing to look at in a way, "You look good with a tan, Captain."

He couldn't help, but returned the smile, "I hope it hides my blushes, my lord. I will ready the ship for our departure. "

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry I've been a little slow at uploading. I tend to edit my pieces like crazy before I feel like it's ready to be read. Anyways, I hope you guys are enjoying this. :)


	5. Chapter 5

"How was Tatooine?" asked the young woman on Xy'liah's personal holo. She watched as the young Sith Lord lay on her bed, staring at the vessel's ceiling.

"What do you think?" Xy'liah snapped back, turning her attention toward the holocommunicator. The young woman stared at Xy'liah with a patient smile on her face despite the Sith's sudden rudeness. The young Sith Lord sighed as she sat up and turned the holocommunicator more toward her. It's been a few hours since they have taken off into space. Baras had contacted her as soon as she set foot aboard the Fury and like always never hesitated to give her the details of her next mission. Now they were on their way to the planet, Alderaan, the home planet of the young Padawan Jaesa Willsaam.

Xy'liah had immediately retreated to the comforts of her quarters upon returning from Tatooine. The first thing she did was plop down on her bed. Every inch of her body relaxed upon contact with the soft mattress. How she missed it so!

She lay on her bed for sometime, replaying the entire mission in her head and noticed one part that kept playing over and over again. She hadn't thought much of it during her mission on Tatooine, but now that she had gotten rest, the thought continuously haunted her.

It was what Maritha had said and then again that Jedi Master Yonlach.

"_That Captain of yours is one of a kind. That dedication and loyalty is rare. You picked a good one, my dear."_

"_I sense his feelings for you. His dedication goes beyond professional duty." _

Exactly what did they mean? Xy'liah sighed. Ever since her campaign started, she has found herself continuously reading hints and messages. Who knew that cunning was a skill that she relied so heavily upon. They certainly never taught that at Korriban. It was a skill that Xy'liah never cared for. She, on the other hand, preferred the direct approach, something that often landed her in a heap of trouble. Lately, however, playing games and reading hints were all that she had been doing. If she was going to be in this field of work for long, she supposed she should start advancing it and she knew the perfect person to go to for training.

Turning back toward the holocommunicator, Xy'liah smiled at the young woman, "Sorry. It's been kind of rough lately."

"As for me," she replied. "Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"

Xy'liah plopped back down on her bed, "Ah, where to begin!" She began telling the young woman her story, trying to remember every single account and conversation. She told of Maritha and Yonlach and Quinn's odd behavior lately, "—and then we kissed. Did you hear? We kissed! He's quite a good kisser too. Who would've known? I wasn't trying to do anything beyond that! It's just that this whole chase has been quite a burden on me that I need to have fun somehow. But I sense he's taking this all wrong! What are your thoughts?"

The young woman smiled and chuckled at the Sith's frustrations, "Well judging by his lack of expertise in the game of lust and love, perhaps you should back off for awhile. You can have your little fun with someone else. You don't want this affecting his work." The young woman raised a brow at Xy'liah. "You can find someone else, can you?"

"Of course!" Xy'liah snorted, somewhat offended. "It's just so easy to mess with him. Sometimes I don't even realize that I'm doing it! How do you keep the line between professionalism and occasional flirting?"

The young woman shrugged, "It's a good thing my line of work requires both."

"_Agent?" _

The young woman turned her head toward the deeper voice. She, then, turned back quickly, "We can continue this later. I'm needed."

Xy'liah raised a brow, "Who is _that_?"

"Safe journey, cousin." The image disappeared from the holocommunicator.

Xy'liah turned her attention toward the ceiling, relaxing her mind once more. Not even a minute passed by did her chambers' door opened and in came an excited Vette.

"Hey, you never guessed what I've been doing!" the young twi'lek exclaimed.

Xy'liah opened her mouth to speak, but was immediately cut off again by the twi'lek, "No, no, don't try. I'll tell you. Ever since Nar Shaddaa, I've been checking holo frequencies and I found the old gang! They're on Nar Shaddaa! Funny, huh? They weren't leaving messages for me in the old spots so I thought they have gotten themselves caught or dead or something."

"Are you thinking of going back to your old life?"

"What? Worried I'd leave you?" Vette smiled. "The old gang has been on the run since I was gone. Apparently our mysterious informant for the Korriban job was that scum sucker Cada Bliss. Once they escaped the mercenaries, Taunt and the old crew spent what's left of their credits tracking Cada Bliss. That duros snake has managed to get his hands on the Star of Cala'un. It's a priceless piece of twi'lek history. I want it back."

"I know you won't stop pestering me about it until I give in. So hurry up and tell me where we're going."

The twi'lek lit up at the Sith's response, "You're-you're fantastic! Cada Bliss is at the spaceport of Nar Shaddaa, trying to line up a buyer. I'll send the message that we're coming. Make us out to be interested buyers. Oh and I'll tell the gang to get ready to receive the artifact. Bliss has some famous Kalesh bodyguard, they called him the Virus, working for him these days. But that's not going to worry you is it?" She gave the Sith a smile.

"Get to it," said Xy'liah as Vette rushed out of the room.

A few minutes later, Xy'liah entered the bridge to find the Captain quite frustrated about something. He had been mumbling indistinctive things to himself and seemed deep in thought until the young Sith spoke up, "Something the matter, Quinn?"

He turned around, startled at her presence, "My lord, I'd appreciate it if you could speak with Vette. Ask her not to disturb me while I am working."

Xy'liah raised a brow. Vette was too excited about her trip to even care what the Captain was up to. Exactly what was he talking about? "Exactly how is she disturbing you?"

"She's not wired for military precision. And there's no filter on that twi'lek mouth. When I was tracking down Agent Voloren, she must have overheard me refer to Moff Broysc, and now she persistently pesters me about him. She keeps slipping his name nonsensically into conversations. Says she won't stop until I tell her why I hate the man."

Xy'liah gave a little laugh and shook her head at the remark, "Oh…Vette never ceases to amuse me. She's just trying to be friends, Quinn. Open up a little."

"I hope you don't encourage her, my lord. It is neither appropriate nor in the Empire's best interests to discuss the matter with non-military personnel. Besides, knowing her, the details of Broysc' collapse at Druckenwell and his and my subsequent conflict would only give her more fodder." His brows narrowed at the sight of the Sith Lord laughing. He didn't understand what was amusing about the twi'lek. If anything, he would have thought the Sith to be upset at the fact that the twi'lek was interrupting operations, but then again, this is a Sith, who countlessly teased him ever since they first met.

Xy'liah stopped her little laugh after catching sight at the Captain's expression. His facial expression reminded her of the first time she had met him on Balmorra. She had to admit, the angry/serious look was quite attractive, "Ahem. Leave it to me. She'll stop bothering you."

"I was hoping you'd say that, my lord. Thank you." The Captain turned back to the controls in front of him and switched the ship off of autopilot. "We'll be at Alderaan in about 8 hours."

"Actually, set a course for Nar Shaddaa," said Xy'liah as she slipped into the copilot's chair.

"New orders, my lord?" Quinn questioned as he turned toward the Sith once more.

"I have business there. I'm taking Vette with me."

"My lord, do you think it most appropriate to pursue personal objectives right now? Darth Baras is awaiting our arrival on Alderaan."

"I do what I want. Baras can wait."

There was silence between them before Quinn turned toward the navigation, "Yes, my lord."

Xy'liah took the controls as the Captain set the new coordinates for them. She knew he was upset by the little detour. _He's probably making note of that right now for when he snitches to Baras later on. _But she could always worry about that later.

"Coordinates set." Quinn whirled back around to the pilot's controls. He took the controls and steered the ship toward the direction. "Preparing the jump to hyperspace."

Xy'liah made sure everything was clear before the Captain started counting down. Within the next three seconds, the stars in front of her turned into lines as her vessel leapt forward in space. The Fury came out at the edge of the Hutt's space and Quinn took to guiding the ship toward Nar Shaddaa.

Xy'liah watched in front of her as Nar Shaddaa came into view. A distant tiny ball lit by the cities' lights. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she still sensed the Captain's disapproval with her last minute plans.

"My lord, I seek advice," said Quinn as he pushed some buttons. "As a military man, above all else I value discipline, the chain of command, and uncompromising dedication to serving the Empire's interests. But there's a built in dilemma. When my instincts tell me that a superior is jeopardizing the Empire, it makes my path less clear."

There it was. She had been waiting for it. It was so predictable of the Captain to bring it up so quickly. He could never keep his mouth shut whenever he saw something that is out of the Empire's best interests, "Do you have a problem with my leadership, Quinn?"

"No, my lord, you're mistaken me." He sounded somewhat taken aback by the Sith's defensive tone. "My concern is about the legacy of my former commander. I stood by while Moff Broysc's random whims compromised countless missions. It is a mistake I refuse to repeat. Defying him ruined my career, but I should've done it sooner. No matter the consequences."

"If he made you this tenacious and this exacting, you owe him a great debt."

"That…is a startling perspective, my lord. Your example and guidance give me clarity. Thank you. I am more focused now." He turned to give the Sith a smile, something Xy'liah hadn't seen much of.

"As long as you meet your responsibilities to me, your preoccupations are inconsequential," the young Sith turned her attention toward Nar Shaddaa.

"As it should be. I won't take up anymore of your time."

* * *

><p>As soon as they landed on the Nar Shaddaa spaceport, Vette and Xy'liah wasted no time heading for Cada Bliss's hangar. The two came upon the duros and his bodyguard near his ship.<p>

Xy'liah could see a frown on the duros' face as they arrived closer.

"Now you two certainly don't look like Corellian art dealers," he said in Huttese to them both. He turned to his body guard. "Virus, is it possible that we have been deceived? That this clear rat tail thief has caught us unaware?"

"What did you call me?" Vette exclaimed.

"No, not possible," said the Virus.

"Then these two has just walked themselves into a very dangerous scenario," Cada Bliss turned back toward the two.

"Perhaps you've mistaken me for some else," said Xy'liah. "I am a master of the Force."

"Do you hear that, Virus?" Cada Bliss said to his bodyguard.

"I hear."

"Apparently someone thinks you've never killed a Sith before. Someone thinks Sith scares you."

Xy'liah turned toward her companion, "Well, it's your show. How do you want handle this?"

Vette stepped forward, took a deep breath and quickly stated her next sentence almost as if she was reading it directly from a book, "Cada Bliss, you have exploited my people, stolen our artifacts, and committed numerous crimes against the twi'lek the galaxy over."

Cada Bliss continued to ignore the two, "Virus? Do we have any room in the harem for an exceedingly ugly underdeveloped rat tail slave girl?"

"We're full up on ugly."

"Sith probably makes bad slaves too. Hmm…alright, kill them both."

"Alright, now this is personal," said Xy'liah drawing her lightsabers.

The Virus rushed toward them both with his blade in hand and swung at them hard, forcing Vette and Xy'liah to jump back or receive a terrible blow. He aimed in Xy'liah's direction as Vette rushed toward Cada Bliss himself.

Xy'liah smiled as the bodyguard continued swinging his blade at her. She dodged each and every one of his moves with ease, jumping side to side. She could see the frustration in his eyes as he desperately tried to land a blow to her.

A few minutes later, a scream of pain came from Cada Bliss signaling Xy'liah to end her little cat and mouse game. As the Virus jabbed toward her Xy'liah quickly side-stepped and jabbed one of her lightsabers into his vulnerable chest. He neither screamed nor flinched, but his eyes stared at hers as life drained from it. Xy'liah pulled her saber out as he fell to the ground.

"My lord!" Vette yelled. Xy'liah looked toward the twi'lek to see her blasters aimed at the duros, who had his hands up.

"Hey, let's not get all crazy here," said Cada Bliss as Xy'liah approached the two, putting her sabers away. "Clearly I thought you were someone else. See there was this other twi'lek girl, total pain, you know, she kept calling me. Anyways, long story, but sorry about the mix up, you know?" Cada Bliss backed away from the two while Vette still had her blasters aimed at him.

"Cada Bliss, you have exploited my people, stolen our artifacts, and committed numerous crimes against twi'leks the galaxy over!" yelled Vette again. Xy'liah smiled. She had heard the twi'lek practicing over and over again in her quarters as they were preparing to land on Nar Shaddaa.

"I get it, I get it. You practiced. It's a nice speech. I like it."

"Return the Star of Cala'un. Promise to reform and we may show mercy."

"He called you ugly and you're going to show him mercy?" Xy'liah inquired. The twi'lek shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the Duros.

"You are a beautiful woman. I've always said the twi'lek women were a superior being suited to the finest," at this Vette raised an impatient brow at the mercenary. "Yeah, I'm going!" He turned to retrieve the artifact.

"I'll grab the Star of Cala'un. We can meet the old gang here on Nar Shaddaa," said Vette. "They'll make sure the Star end up in a museum…in twi'lek hands." She followed him as he took out an artifact from one of the many crates near his ship.

After retrieving the artifact and watching Cada Bliss retreat, the duo followed Taunt's, Vette's old friend, directions to a meeting place at the center of the Nar Shaddaa's spaceport.

Xy'liah paced back and forth impatiently as she watched the twi'lek girl in deep thought. She had never seen Vette so serious before, "Huh?" Xy'liah looked to her waist as the holocommunicator clipped to her belt vibrated and beeped. She took it out and turned it on as the twi'lek turned her attention toward the incoming call also.

Quinn's little image appeared before her, "My lord, how goes your mission?"

"Easy," said Xy'liah. "I'll be heading back to the ship soon. Something's the matter, Captain?"

"I've been tracking a series of broken signals on an encrypted channel. Tremendous interference. I've indentified the source, Major Ovech, commander of Moff Broysc's elite infiltrator unit, but that is all."

"Strange…that name continues to pop up."

"Yes Moff Broysc oversees a large proportion of Imperial forces. I served with Major Ovech under Moff Broysc. The man is an unmatched officer. Moff Broysc's command ship does not respond when hailed. My gut says there's trouble. Permission to investigate further?"

"Go ahead. First Voloren, now this? You must really be bored on ship, Captain."

"I wouldn't waste time on anything that wasn't important. Thank you my lord." Quinn's image disappeared as another voice took this place.

"Well, look who the akk dog dragged in." Vette and Xy'liah turned toward three incoming twi'leks, two males and a female whom Xy'liah could only guessed to be Taunt.

Vette stood up excitedly and rushed to greet her old crew with a hug, "Taunt! Guys!"

"And this must be the powerful Sith you've been seeing the galaxy with," said Taunt looking at Xy'liah up and down. "Got yourself a new older sister, I see. Impressive."

"Heh, I didn't know I was missing a little sister before Vette came along," said Xy'liah. She could feel Vette's face lit up at her response.

"Nice," said Taunt. "First things first though, yes?"

"The Star of Cala'un is in the case, authentic and undamaged," said Vette handing it to the bigger male twi'lek. Plasmajack was his name. Xy'liah had remembered Vette mentioning it as they were heading for Cada Bliss' hangar earlier. Such a unique name.

"This is big!" Plasmajack replied taking the case.

"Got that right, most important single blow for twi'lek pride," said Flash, the other male twi'lek. "All you Vette!"

"You should be proud. You've done something great for your people here," said Xy'liah to the young twi'lek.

"Amazing, little girl. Amazing! Who's got the finder's fee?" said Plasmajack looking to his two companions.

"Here, it's every credit we can scrape together," said Taunt taking out a sack.

Vette frowned a little at the offer.

"Don't worry," Taunt continued, noticing Vette's concern. "We should be able to sweet talk the museum into getting some of that back."

"Oh no," Vette said. "I know you guys. You won't even be eating. You have to buy equipments, bribe fees. We don't need your credits." The twi'lek turned toward the Sith. "Do we?"

Xy'liah shrugged her shoulders, "They are your people. It's your choice."

"Then I say, keep the credits. Have a big dinner for me. Get some new gear."

"You coming with us, girl?" Plasmajack asked.

Vette was taken aback by the question, "I…no…I found a place. I'm going to stay put for a while. But I'll keep in touch."

Taunt smiled, "You don't have to leave right away do you? What do you say you come celebrate with us?"

Vette turned toward Xy'liah, who smiled at the situation, "No one parties like a Sith parties…"

The twi'leks smiled at the young Sith. She was indeed one of the strangest Sith they have ever met.

The five of them left for the nearest cantina and restaurant. They were gone for quite some time and Xy'liah actually found herself enjoying the twi'leks' company. They told quite amusing stories, none that can match her Sith stories of course.

"…so I sat on him! Problem solved!" Plasmajack said finishing his tale.

Vette beamed with enthusiasm, "I've missed you guys! I'll say hello whenever I can!"

Suddenly a familiar beep came from Xy'liah's belt. The young Sith looked at her holocommunicator.

"Ugh, is that Captain Boredom?" Vette complained. "He sure knows how to kill a mood."

Xy'liah patched through the call, "What is it, Captain?"

"Forgive me, my lord," said Quinn appearing on the holocommunicator. "You've been gone for some time, I was beginning to worry. I can see that it was unnecessary…" Quinn eyed the surrounding twi'leks. "Lord Baras just called. He's eager for an update on your mission, my lord."

"We'll be back soon, Captain," Xy'liah ended the call.

"Whoa, who's that?" Taunt asked. "Captain Boredom, you say?"

"Ugh, he's so uptight, boring, and ruins every happy mood I have going," said Vette.

"We should head back," said Xy'liah. "I don't want him reporting to Baras about our little outings. I can't stand another lecture from that old man."

"We'll walk you back," said Plasmajack.

Once back at the spaceport, Vette began to look a little teary eyed as the five of them met once more to say their final words.

"Be well, love," said Taunt.

"Watch your back out there, kid," said Flash. The three turned to leave, leaving Vette and Xy'liah in front of their hangar entrance.

"Well, I guess we better head out," said Xy'liah.

"Hey, thanks. It's too bad no one else gets to see the good side of you," Vette smiled.

"There's no such thing. I am merely rewarding you. You earned it, Vette. Had you been so lax, this definitely would not have happened."

Vette smiled as the Sith continued to try and explained her reasoning, "Whatever you say."


	6. Chapter 6

The two entered the awaiting Fury and Xy'liah immediately headed straight to the bridge room. She needed to get back on course for the mission and this little outing had them behind Baras' schedule.

"Set course for Alderaan. Come get me when we are close."

"Yes, my lord." Quinn immediately set out to work as Xy'liah headed toward her chambers. The trip from Nar Shaddaa added a few more hours to their estimated arrival on Alderaan, a few hours Xy'liah was planning to take advantage of.

* * *

><p>"Master," said a robotic voice.<p>

Xy'liah opened her eyes to see the shiny blue droid standing by the side of her bed.

"Master Quinn sent me to inform you that we have landed on the Alderaanian Orbital Station. He has your line set up with Lord Baras."

"Ugh," Xy'liah said as she rolled over in her bed. She held her head as the bright lights of the chambers shone into her adjusting eyes. "I'll be there."

The droid bowed and headed out of the chambers.

Xy'liah frowned as she sat up in her bed, quickly putting her hair up in a bun before she set out to make contact with her master. An image of the cold, emotionless metallic mask popped into her head. How she dreaded seeing that face.

"Keep close to my instructions, apprentice," warned the Dark Lord as he watched his apprentice listened to him in her usual stance. "I don't want any slip ups. _Any at all_."

"I get it," she said, a hint of anger in her voice. "I'll find the girl's parents soon."

Darth Baras frowned and in the next instance disappeared.

Xy'liah turned her attention toward the approaching Quinn, "You know the drill."

"Actually, my lord, there is something I wished to speak with you about before we leave. It's quite urgent."

"What is it?"

"I was able to clear the channel and get to the bottom of Major Ovech's relays. He's in a state of emergency. Patching him through now." The Captain turned toward the holoterminal centered on the ship and pushed a few buttons on his datapad.

A rather large image of a man appeared before Xy'liah. His expression showed panic among others.

"My lord, your Captain is one in a million. I've given up hope anyone out there would hear my distress calls."

"He impressed me once or twice before," Xy'liah said back, wondering about the Major's fidgeting state.

"Wish I still had him in my detail. Probably would have avoided all of this. Moff Broysc dispatched me and my officers to a secret weapons warehouse Cato Neimoidia. Trouble is, it ain't a secret no more. We're holed up by Republic forces. Trying to get Broysc to send the rest of my unit but he's gone radio silent."

"It's worse than that, my lord," Quinn interjected as Xy'liah turned toward him. "The Major's ship has been commandeered by Broysc's personal commandos and ordered to stay put."

"That tears it! Seen it a hundred times with Broysc. Better out-bait and let good soldiers die than to admit a mistake."

"Sounds more like Broysc wants you dead, Major. Any idea why?" The Sith turned back toward the holographic image.

"Same reason he demoted and exiled your Captain, I'm guessing. I'm his only officer who's not shy of my opinion." There was a loud bang in the back ground as Ovech turned toward his left. "Enemy was pausing between breaths. Gearing up to charge again. Looks like the end of the line for me. But I'm not going out without a fight. Ovech out!"

"My lord, Major Ovech would be a terrible loss. I served on his ship, know it like the back of my hand. I can infiltrate and try to restore command to his men. Then they would be free to join the fight."

"You're going to take on an entire group of commandos _alone_?" Xy'liah raised her questioning eyebrow. She must admit the Captain is smart, but as a fighter she sometimes questioned his skills. To be able to take on an entire fleet alone was impossible, suicidal even for someone like him.

"A frontal assault would take too long and risk losing or damaging the ship. My plan is to infiltrate and liberate. I'll give you a full report when I return." He waited for her approval of his leave though she could see just how anxious he was to go.

"I guess Vette and I can handle Alderaan on our own."

"I won't be long." He bowed and headed toward the crews' quarters.

Vette came out as Quinn walked past her, "Leaving soon?"

"I have personal matters to attend to."

"So I take that as a yes? And I also take it that I'll be going with our Sith Lord to Alderaan?" Vette's eyes followed the Imperial as he continued without even the slightest notice of her.

Quinn frowned when he saw the twi'lek following him. She headed to her own bunk and made sure her blasters were all ready to go. She watched as Quinn examined his blaster and vibroknife. He didn't give her a second look before he headed out.

"Safe journey!" she called out after him. She smiled and shook her head as he pretended not to hear her.

* * *

><p>"Ready?" asked Xy'liah meeting Vette at the Fury's exit tunnel.<p>

"I've always wanted to visit Alderaan," said the twi'lek following the Sith Lord out of the ship.

"Eh, I don't think it's your kind of planet." The pair continued toward the awaiting transport vessel that was to carry them to the planet.

Once landed, Vette decided to proceed immediately toward their assigned contact, but something was wrong. She turned back to see the Sith Lord staring off into the wilderness of the planet. Vette looked toward where she was looking. The scenery was beautiful. She heard a lot about this planet from her travels. Supposedly its' people are one of the most educated and sophisticated in the entire galaxy. Judging by the vast wilderness that surrounded them, the Alderaanians were quite active in preserving their nature. Her eyes turned back toward the Sith. She seemed in deep thoughts as she stared distantly into the wilderness.

"It's beautiful," Vette said breaking the silence between them. "I wonder if they have a nice beach here too."

Xy'liah's lips formed into a smile, "Some of the nicest." She turned toward the twi'lek. "Let's go. We got a job waiting for us."

Confusion took over Vette's face as she watched the Sith walked past her and toward House Thul. Had she been here before?

The walk didn't take long to the palace. What amazed Vette was Xy'liah knowing exactly where to go without asking for directions as she did on the other planets. The Sith Lord took them straight to the office of Duke Kendoh without any stops or hesitation.

Vette peered into the office behind Xy'liah to see an older man with his back toward them. The Duke reminded Vette of one of those vain Senators she had encountered at Kaas City. They were deceitful and greedy. Every action they carried out, good or bad, almost always had some kind of ulterior motive behind it. She watched as he argued with two people on the holoterminal before him. She looked to Xy'liah, who stood there also watching as she leaned casually on the side of the door, arms crossed.

"You lack patience, Duke Kendoh," said one of the figures before him. "There are certain protocols that must be adhered to."

"Your disregard for our family rules is appalling! You are an abomination!" exclaimed the other one. "Goodbye, cousin!"

And with that, both the image disappeared from the holoterminal, leaving the Duke to sulkily shake his head.

"Fools…" Vette heard him say underneath his breath as she followed Xy'liah into the chambers. She looked around to see the various Sith's eyes all turning toward her. "They won't be feeling much of anything for long."

"Duke Kendoh," began Xy'liah.

The Duke turned around, startled at the young woman's presence.

"Darth Baras sent me."

"What?" he exclaimed, his face turning red. "You're not on my schedule! I don't appreciate being interrupted! Baras isn't even on my radar, Sith! I have a war to wage and personal ambitions to achieve here."

Xy'liah frowned at the Duke's tone of voice toward her, "I'm here to adjust your radar."

"A threat? You see these Sith I have attending me? Your corpse will be my message to your master!"

Vette quickly eyed the room to see the various Sith. One, two, three…five Siths surrounding them in their dark armor. There was one in particular that was standing right next to the Duke. The twi'lek watched the tall figure as his eyes rested on Xy'liah. He seemed too calm to be a bodyguard or Sith.

The Duke walked to a nearby couch and sat down as he readied himself to enjoy the upcoming fight, "FirmRess!" He turned to the Sith that stood next to him. "Make this intruder a distant memory, will you?"

Vette turned back, her hands to her blasters as she waited for the Sith to attack, but he did not move. He stood there for a minute, his eyes still watching Xy'liah, who returned the stare without backing down. His dark eyes seemed to smile at the young Sith as they continued their staring contest.

"FirmRess!" Duke Kendoh shouted once more.

FirmRess turned toward the Duke, "I'm sorry, Duke Kendoh, we are assigned to protect you and support your interests in the struggle for Alderaan. But we serve the Emperor first. We will not cross Darth Baras or his apprentice."

"It's good to know some people have respect," Xy'liah said.

FirmRess turned toward the young Sith, "We consider you an ally, friend." He lowered his head to bow to Xy'liah.

Vette looked around to see the rest of the Sith following his example. She turned back to see her master quite pleased with the result.

Xy'liah turned back toward the Duke, awaiting his response.

Duke Kendoh stood up from his couch, quite uncomfortable by the turn of events, "Uh…okay. That was unexpected…" He walked over to the Sith, head hung low. "It seems I may have been hasty regarding your master's needs. How can I make amends?"

"Listen and follow my directions or else," she threatened.

"I will do my best to aid you. I pledge the same level of focus that had me so absorbed in my own work. I pledged myself to your directives, and as I aid you, perhaps you'll be moved to help me with mine?"

"We'll see," said Xy'liah, narrowing her amber eyes.

"I am focused and at your service. As I recall, Darth Baras wanted information on a young Alderaanian girl who was taken off-world to train with the Jedi Master Nomen Karr. I was to locate your family so that you could…well, send the girl a message."

"For your sake, I hope you were successful."

"The truth is, information about this girl is difficult to come by. I only have one lead. Nomen Karr's Padawan fits the description of the former handmaiden of a noblewoman in House Alde named Lady Renata. I have questioned her already, but Renata is being protected by House Alde's greatest champion. The man has never met his match in melee."

"There's nothing I can't handle."

"If I may, once you defeated her protector and gotten what you needed…I'll be very indebted if you'd arranged to have Lady Renata brought to us." There seemed to be a certain darkness falling over the Duke as he said this. His dark eyes twinkled with delight at the sound of the name and there was a small smile that formed underneath that mustache of his. "For questioning." He quickly added when he saw the Sith's questioning look.

"Don't tell me what to do," Xy'liah said, quite annoyed and quite disgusted.

"I apologized if that sounded like a declaration. It was simple a request. While House Alde is a small player on Alderaan, it is affiliated with House Organa. Therefore, Lady Renata's estate is in hostile territory and very well-defended. Be cautious."

"Be ready for my return," said Xy'liah.

"I should hope I see you again. Until then," said the Duke as he bowed to the Sith.

Xy'liah turned to leave, but before she could reach the door, the Duke stopped her.

"One more thing."

The Sith stopped, ears turned in his direction.

"I will have FirmRess accompany you there. With two Sith on the job, it will be more efficient and productive, will it not?"

Xy'liah smiled at the statement. She knew he was sending the Sith to keep an eye on her, hoping to sway her opinion about him and in turn help him with his personal goals, "Just don't get in my way."

"I'll do whatever I can to help," said FirmRess as he followed the Sith out.

The three walked out of House Thul's executive chambers and toward the main entrance/exit to the city.

Vette watched FirmRess from the corners of her eyes as he walked side by side with her, following Xy'liah to their destination. The Sith caught her eyes once and gave her a welcoming smile before turning back to follow Xy'liah. Vette also turned back toward her master, quite shocked at the display of affection. This Sith seemed quite gentle in his ways, which was quite odd on why he was Sith in the first place.

Before reaching the taxi port, a familiar beep came from Xy'liah's utility belt. She looked down at the buzzing holocommunicator and took it out. An image of Quinn appeared before her as Vette and FirmRess caught up with her.

"Back already?" Vette asked at the sight of the Captain.

Whether he heard her or not, Vette couldn't tell for Quinn proceeded to immediately debrief Xy'liah on his mission, "My lord, returning from action. Pleased to report Major Ovech and most of his officers have been saved. I was able to infiltrate Ovech's starship and seize control of the operating systems. I identified where his men were being held, freed them, and locked Moff Broysc's occupying forces on the bridge. Ovech's men promptly rescued him. "

"I'm impressed, Captain. You are quite the infiltrator. It's a good thing you're on our side," the Sith said.

"You're too kind, my lord. Luckily, Major Ovech's starship was not located far from Alderaan. I'm back at the Fury now, awaiting your orders. The Empire is stronger with Major Ovech. It would have been a shame if he was squandered. Thank you for the opportunity. Should I head out to meet you?"

"Actually, you can stay onboard for this one, Captain," said Xy'liah. "I already have enough help." She turned the holocommunicator toward the two behind her. "Say hello, guys."

"Captain! How I missed you!" Vette exclaimed sarcastically. She smiled as she saw the Captain's frown. How typical of him, but he wasn't looking at her this time. Instead, his eyes were set upon the man next to her.

"This is FirmRess," said Xy'liah. "He's a fellow Sith and will be helping me out on my errands out here."

Vette could hear the Captain swallowed uneasy as he bowed and greeted the Sith, "My Lord."

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain," FirmRess replied.

Xy'liah turned the holocommunicator toward her, "There you have it. So you see, you're free from this one. You have my permission to disembark. You should go explore the planet. Alderaan is quite beautiful and unique. Make sure to check out Aldera while you're at it."

"Thank you, my lord, but I must decline. My duty is not complete until you accomplish your objectives. I will be here on the ship to help oversee you."

Xy'liah frowned, "I do not need you watching over me, Quinn! I know where to go and what to do!"

"My intentions were to help you in any way I can and since I cannot be there with you physically, I figured I could help track your progress here onboard."

Xy'liah shrugged, "Suit yourself. Just don't go blowing up my comlink."

"I won't disrupt you unless there is an emergency." His image disappeared abruptly, leaving Vette to ponder. Quinn didn't seem too pleased to have FirmRess here helping them. Was he threatened by the Sith?

"Let's get moving. House Alde is over those mountains there. It'll take at least a few hours to reach it, assuming we go by taxi. There is a tour guide to the mountains also. Maybe we can sneak in some sightseeing on the way there?"

"How do you know so much about it?" Vette asked, her interest piqued. Next to her, she could see FirmRess as equally interested in her knowledge of this planet.

The young Sith turned toward both of them, "Because I grew up here."

* * *

><p>Quinn stared at the holoterminal, frowning. His mind replayed the conversation he had with Xy'liah just moments earlier upon his return. Again and again, the image of the Sith, FirmRess, appeared in his mind. There was something about him that made Quinn quite uneasy. He was definitely caught off guard at the Sith's presence. Darth Baras had informed them their assigned contact was to be a Duke Kendoh, but he never mentioned anything about a Sith Lord. Was this Sith sent secretly by the Dark Lord to keep his an eye on his apprentice? And what perhaps was most disturbing to him was the fact that Xy'liah had taken him in so quickly. He knew the Sith hated being watched from his eavesdropping on her earlier conversations with the twi'lek. She had been quite upset with him in the beginning, thinking he was sent to watch her. If FirmRess had been sent to keep an eye on Xy'liah, why then was the Sith so cheerful and accepting?<p>

"Master Quinn, your drink," said 2V-R8 carrying a tray with a tall glass centered on it.

Quinn took the glass and quickly gulped the alcoholic drink down before setting it down on the table before him. He wiped his mouth with the back of his gloved hand.

"More, Master Quinn?" said the robot, taking the glass from the table.

"Give me two more, R8," commanded Quinn in a displeased tone. Two more should be enough to relax him for this mission.

* * *

><p>"Wow, can you believe all the animals here?" Vette exclaimed as the speeder winded its way up the mountainous path. "That's amazing!" She turned toward the two Sith sitting opposite of her to see them talking in hushed tones. FirmRess smiled awkwardly as he answered Xy'liah's earlier question to which the young Sith laughed. It was a different side of Xy'liah Vette had never seen. She was quite open with him, letting her guard down and barely criticizing him like how she did with Quinn and herself.<p>

"So, you are Alderaanian?" FirmRess asked referring back to Xy'liah earlier statement before they took a taxi to the tour area.

"Secret's out," said Xy'liah. "I grew up here before I was shipped off to Korriban. I started my training quite late since my parents took the time to train me when I was younger."

"You act just like a noblewoman here," said FirmRess. "I could tell with the way you carry yourself that you are someone of high birth."

"Yes, well, my parents are well known Sith and thanks to my Uncle and Aunt, became interested in the Senate. It was always two main lessons for me: Sith training and politics."

"I'd like to meet them, perhaps when we have the time after this is all over."

Xy'liah shook her head, "They are probably not even on planet right now. They travel a lot due to their work. When they became fully invested in the Senate, it took over them and they couldn't spend time with me as much as they used to anymore. That's when I was shipped off to Korriban."

"You must miss them," said Vette, interrupting the conversation.

"Actually, I was quite glad when they did. Finally I could concentrate solely on my training as Sith."

FirmRess smiled, "I have heard one or two rumors about you while you were at the Sith Academy. Mainly your dealings with a certain Sith named Vemrin?"

Xy'liah laughed at the name, "That fool! He thought he could outsmart me. I showed him the day I cut him straight in half."

Vette winced as she imagined the scene. She watched as the two Sith conversed more with one another. There was an obvious chemistry between them and they seemed to enjoy one another's company, mostly ignoring hers altogether. She turned back to look at the scenery as the speeder continued its descent up the mountain.

* * *

><p>"House Alde shouldn't be too far from here," Quinn listened as FirmRess talked over the line he had set up between him and Xy'liah. The Captain quickly punched in the coordinates Xy'liah had sent him and pulled up a calculated route from the outpost to the estate.<p>

"Be cautious, my lord," he said through his headset as he continued to pull up more information. "House Alde is backed by House Organa and the Republics. There might be some powerful enemies waiting around the corner, mainly Jedi. But—" he added quickly. "It's nothing _you _can't handle. I have seen you take down a Jedi with ease before."

"No Jedi will be stupid enough to face two powerful Sith," cam Xy'liah's voice. "Right, FirmRess?"

"Of course."

Quinn frowned as the two chuckled a bit at their statements. They were getting too friendly for his taste. Xy'liah was being distracted from her mission once again and he was not there to make sure she was on track, "My lord, I advise you to travel on foot. A taxi might be a little too obvious. There is a direct path from the outpost to the estate, but you will have to travel all the way around for the entrance lies on the other side."

"Relax, Quinn," said Xy'liah. "Why are you so worried? Like I said, this time we have two Sith here."

"I worry that your carelessness might once again endanger your campaign," Quinn snapped. He stopped himself right afterwards, surprised at what came out from his mouth. It was unlike him to say such things. Even with Broysc, he had always voiced his opinion of the man behind closed doors. What exactly was it that made him snap? Perhaps it was the frustrating thought of the young Sith dillydallying on her way to her prime objective or the fact that he was stuck aboard the Fury without any solid knowledge of what was happening. Quinn held his breath as he listened for a response. There was silence on the headset which made the Captain more unnerved as he listened to the static play in and out of his ears.

"Watch your tone of voice with me, Captain," came Xy'liah's stern voice.

"My apologies, my lord. I was completely out of line."

"Just do what you have to do and don't bother me unless you need to." Xy'liah's line went silent on the screen.

* * *

><p>"Vette," came the deep voice from Vette's headset.<p>

"Something wrong, Quinn?" the twi'lek said as she followed the two Sith out of the outpost.

"Make sure that FirmRess doesn't get too close to our lord. I don't trust him nor is he good for her. She's getting distracted from our mission."

Vette smiled at the tone of his voice, "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"My mind is on the mission. I'd hate for Baras to chew her out again when she fails to meet his requirements." Vette opened her mouth to reply, but the Captain had abruptly ended their conversation.

* * *

><p>"What is that noise?" Renata demanded as she stormed through the hallways of her estate. Besides her, her handmaidens cringed at the booming sound coming from outside. They looked to Renata as she continued walking toward her entrance.<p>

Renata looked left to right for her protector. He left to go investigate the disturbing sound half an hour ago, leaving the lady armless with her handmaidens inside her bedroom. Renata bit her lips as a scene of the worst case scenario entered her mind. She forced herself to remain calm as she continued her walk. She had to set an example for her handmaidens. There was chaos in her household since the sound started. Reports came in of Sith forcing their way to her. _Kendoh. _Renata clenched her teeth as an image of the short man came into her mind.

The Duke has been persistent with his advances toward her. He had approached her some time ago and asked for her hand in marriage, but when she refused, he decided to take things into his own hands. He had requested the help of Sith as Renata came to find out one unfortunate afternoon when she decided to stroll through her gardens and found one of those savages slaying three of her best gardeners. He would have captured her if not for her security.

Alde's security force was one of the finest out of the Castle Lands. The Sith was shot through the chest from behind when he lost his guard, trying to capture her. Renata smiled as she remembered the sight of the Sith as the life force came running out of him. He must not have been a very bright one to be slain so easily by mere security.

Since then, Renata had enlisted one of the best fighters in all of Alde to be her protector. He came to her soon after the incident and saved her soon after the incident for when Kendoh learned of his Sith's failure, he immediately dispatched another one in his place. Windredd took care of him easily and Renata found it easier to breathe and to return to her old life with him by her side.

"Go back to my bedroom and wait for me there," Renata instructed her handmaidens when she caught sight of the protector from the other end of the room. The handmaidens nodded and retreated quickly back down the hallway.

"My lady, we have intruders!" exclaimed Windredd meeting Renata in the middle. In the next second, three unknown figures rushed into the room: two humans and a twi'lek. Renata quickly eyed her intruders. _So, he sent more than one this time. _Her eyes shot to the lightsabers the two humans wielded and to the twi'lek, who wielded none, but two blasters.

"Lady Renata," said the young human woman. "I seek the family of your former handmaiden, Jaesa Willsaam."

Renata raised a brow at the unusual statement, "What's this nonsense you're spouting? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Lady, let me kill this Sith like the last one Duke Kendoh sent," Windredd said stepping in front of her protectively.

"Windredd, you don't need my permission to kill an enemy that comes barging through my doors. Make it fast!" Renata retreated from the protector and stood a safe distant away from them.

"Stand down, Windredd or you're dead," the young woman warned. Renata looked at her as she stood face to face with Windredd. There was something about this Sith that was different from all the rest of the mindless zombies Kendoh sent.

"Sith got it wrong. I make you dead!" Windredd took out his electrostaff and swung it at the three.

The young woman dodged it with ease as she dove to her left, tumbling to catch her fall. Behind her, the twi'lek began firing at Windredd, who surprisingly dodged it with ease for a man his size. Windredd barely paid any attention to her as he ran to engage in battle with the other Sith.

Renata frowned at the sight of the two Sith. They were certainly more skilled than the rest of the Sith Kendoh had sent. Doubt came over her that Windredd wouldn't be able to face them. But he continued to surprise her as he juggled the two Sith and twi'lek. Within the next few minutes, Renata's doubts and worries came back as Windredd was knocked off guard, his electrostaff flying across the room.

Her eyes widened as the young Sith woman wasted no time stabbing her lightsaber through him. They were horrible savages without a heart in the world.

Her amber reddish eyes turned toward Renata, glaring at the noblewoman. Renata stepped back as fear overcame her. These weren't the Sith Kendoh usually send. She doubt even if Kendoh could convince someone of her powers to work for him.

"This can't be," Renata quickly said. "Um, I'm sorry I ordered him to kill you Sith. I hope you don't hold it against me. You see I've been fending off Duke Kendoh's advances for some time, I just assumed that you were here for him. If you're not working for the duke, I-I'll gladly cooperate. Y-you mentioned a-a g-girl, yes? Jaesa someone?"

"Glad to see I have your undivided attention," the young Sith said as she returned her two lightsabers to her belt. Next to her, the man and the twi'lek did the same with their weapons.

"You have a very persuasive manner. I was aware of the young handmaiden who left Alderaan with a Jedi Master. And I did hear the name Jaesa Willsaam. But you've mistaken—I didn't know her. The girl never served me."

"Do you know anything about her?"

"Duke Kendoh can include that in his interrogations," interrupted the man. He turned to face the young woman. "The duke congratulates you in your venture into House Alde. My orders now are to take her to him."

"No!" Renata cried out. She ran toward the Sith, kneeling at her feet. Fear came over her as she forced her next words out. "Don't let him take me that-that pig! I do know who the girl worked for. I'll tell you all I can if only you keep me from Duke Kendoh."

"You'd say anything to save your neck." The Sith glared down upon the noblewoman. There was a hint of smile that formed as she watched Renata trembling and shaking with fear.

"I promise you. Judge after you heard. Before she left with the Jedi, Jaesa Willsaam was the handmaiden of Gesselle Organa of House Organa. They were inseparable. Before the war, Gesselle was an aristocrat like myself. Now she leads the Organan troops against House Ulgo."

"That's not a lot to go on."

"That's—that's as close as I can get you to Jaesa. Gesselle can tell you the rest."

"The duke will know where to find Gesselle Organa and how to reach her. If you let me deliver Lady Renata to him, I'm sure Kendoh will happily shed light on the situation for you," the man said once more.

There was silence within the room as everyone waited for the young Sith woman to decide Renata's future. Renata looked up at her pleadingly, but the Sith showed no sign of emotions as she continued to glare down at her. Renata felt her heart sank as she waited. Sith were not known to be merciful. She knew her future before the Sith could say a word. Renata lowered her head, tears falling down her face. She would be presented to Duke Kendoh, who will take her as his wife in an instant. Renata shuddered. Was this really to be her future? To spend the rest of her life with that pig?

"The lady isn't going anywhere."

"My lord, it'll be in our favor to do what the Duke wants," said a voice coming out a small comlink that was hooked to the Sith's belt. "He has information that we need."

"Don't question me!" The Sith woman furrowed her brows at the voice. "I don't work for that slime, he works for me. He will give me what I want or else."

The comlink went silent.

Renata looked up, dumbfounded by what she heard. A sense of relief overcame the noblewoman as she stood up to face the Sith, "Thank you, it's good to know that some Sith have a sense of honor."

"Fine, as I said, I will not oppose you nor will I defy your decision here. I meant what I said. I'm sure Kendoh can help you find and confront Gesselle. You should consult with him on it," said the man.

"Be sure he's prepared when I get there."

"Of course, Xy'liah. I will see you at House Thul." The man turned to leave, leaving Renata to the Sith and twi'lek.

"Despite the destruction you've caused, I hold you in high esteem Sith. I only hope you make that worm Kendoh pay for misleading you. Take nothing he says at face value," she advised. He was indeed one of the most disgusting men she has ever dealt with. He was too persistent for his own good, stopping at nothing to get what he wanted no matter the consequences. Last time, he went over a few noble's heads, which made him a few more enemies to the already gigantic list that he had. Renata thought that time to be his last, but apparently he was able to wiggle his way out of trouble.

"Don't worry about that. I see through him."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Goodbye," Renata bowed before the Sith, but she took no notice and turned to leave as her twi'lek friend followed.


	7. Chapter 7

"I heard you decided not to allow FirmRess to bring the Lady Renata to me. I am most disappointed," the duke frowned at the sight of the Sith.

"Get over it. I don't work for you."

Duke Kendoh shook his head, "Tsk tsk. Though you are Sith, you still have much to learn, my lord. Politics is a tricky game. Depending on how one plays, it will either get you everything or lose everything. By denying my claim to Renata, you've certainly aren't providing me much incentive to help you. Where's my motivation?"

"I suspect self preservation is motivation enough. Or perhaps I should just kill you?" The young Sith crossed her arms in annoyance.

"Consider me motivated." Xy'liah rolled her eyes at the Duke. Baras must enjoy torturing her for every single mission she embarked upon, there is always at least one idiot that she has to deal with. She stared at the Duke with unforgiving eyes as he trembled in front of her. In her head, she silently laughed at the many empty threats he had thrown at her so far. "So, FirmRess tells me the lead was fruitful. Although Lady Renata was not the girl's mistress, she knew who was. Gesselle Organa. I should say _General _Gesselle Organa. Now you have to track her down, which poses a bit of a problem."

"If you can't solve the problem, you should be very afraid." She enjoyed threatening the duke. It made tolerating him less painful for her.

"Well, I better come up with a solution then." The Duke turned toward his map of Alderaan. A few moments passed before he turned back around, his face lit up. "AH! General Gesselle Organa leads the Organa war against House Ulgo. Her headquarters is protected by an impenetrable force field. No firepower can break it. The forcefield allows Gesselle and her advisors to be stationed very close to the front and maintain a more hands on command."

"Hmph, that's pretty smart of her. And how do you suggest we outsmart her?"

"That is the task that faces us….wait! Yes! A forcefield needs power to maintain itself, yes? So if we cut the power…" Kendoh smiled. "And I bet I know just where Gesselle is getting her juice. If I'm right, you could just walk through the front door."

"Quit stalling and cut to the chase."

"Almost all power on Alderaan is supplied by the planetary generator. Gesselle must be piggybacking the system to power her forcefield. Some of my fellows do this to maintain their special security needs. A precise charge at the generator will force fail safes to fire. The planet won't miss a beat, but artillery systems like Gesselle's force field will have to be manually reset, which could take some time. "

"Based on your experience here, does Kendoh's plan make sense?" Xy'liah asked FirmRess.

"It's smart to scrutinize anything the duke says, but his plan seems sound to me, Xy'liah."

"Precisely. It is infallible. FirmRess, fetch a seven-stroke-seven detonator from my arms cabinet and give it to our friend here."

"As you wish," the Sith walked past Xy'liah and Vette as he walked toward a corner within the Duke's chambers.

"The Alderaan generator is located above the Straight Valley, and it boasts the planet's most advanced security systems. You have to fight your way in, set the charge, then fight your way out before the boom. It won't be easy."

FirmRess returned with the small charge in his hand and carefully handed it to Xy'liah, who took the detonator and handed to Vette. The young twi'lek took the charge carefully and examined it.

"I'll try not to yawn too much," said Xy'liah.

"Once you've detonated the generator, you'd still have to wade through Gesselle's surrounding army and invade her headquarters before her forcefield is reset. I'll be eagerly tracking your progress. Good luck."

Xy'liah turned to FirmRess, "Not coming this time?"

"I'd be there to join you as soon as you detonate the generator. This way, you'll have a headstart on the Organan troops."

Xy'liah walked out of the duke's chambers with Vette following her. As soon as they were in the lobby for House Thul, Vette expressed her concern with the upcoming mission.

"My lord, how do you expect to run in there, detonate, run out and fight another whole army? That is cutting it close, isn't it?" she asked.

"According to my calculations, it should take approximately 10 minutes for the force field to be reset. It will be hard, but if you plan to fight like how you did on Balmorra, I'm sure it won't be a problem for you," came Quinn's voice through the headset.

"Let's get going," said Xy'liah, ignoring the Captain's words.

* * *

><p>"I'm calculating your route now," said Quinn as he busily punched in data into the ship's computer. "According to my sources, you are very close to the generator."<p>

"I know where it is, Quinn," came the voice.

"I'm…sorry, my lord. I was only trying to help. But if you find my assistance to be a nuisance, I can go about my other duties."

"Please d-OUCH!"

A blaster sound was heard through the headset. Panic filled Quinn as he called out for Xy'liah through the headset, "My lord?"

"Let's just hope his friends didn't hear," said Vette. "Are you ok, my lord?"

"I'm fine. Quick, Vette, over here!"

* * *

><p>Vette ran after her master as Xy'liah ignited her crimson lightsabers. They rushed toward the sides of the building, though it didn't make a difference since the place was heavily fortified, "What's your plan? Do you plan on just running through this crowd?"<p>

"If you have better ones, let's hear it. Having FirmRess here isn't exactly a bad idea either." Xy'liah stood up straight from being crouched down behind her cover. Immediately blasters started firing toward her as she leapt from her cover and launched herself toward them.

Vette followed, shooting down some of the targets as Xy'liah took care of the others. She smiled to herself. She was getting quite good at picking targets. Their teamwork has gotten quite fluid the past few missions. They had their set routine down, which consisted of Xy'liah generally going for her right and Vette taking the left.

They were doing alright for the first few rounds of men heading toward them, but then Vette caught sight of something that worried her. Two oversized droids were heading their way with little ones following. Vette frowned. How were they to handle that? As soon as she fired at the last man, Vette turned her attention quickly toward the upcoming battle. She immediately aimed and fired at the smaller droids, hoping to take some out before they were in a near enough distance to accurately aim at her. To her surprise, they were taking themselves down. As the droids neared, Vette could see something that was making the ground security droids drop one by one. She turned to see Xy'liah, who wasted no time, running toward the two oversized droids.

If it was not the Sith Lord's doing, then what? Vette watched amazed as Xy'liah leapt toward one of the humongous droids, bringing her lightsabers down straight through its armor. It stopped in its track and fell to the ground, bringing the Sith Lord with it, but she was able to quickly jump off the droid before it came crashing down to the ground. In the next instance, the crashed droid was being lifted by Xy'liah's use of the Force and hurled to next oversized droid, knocking both droids quite a few distant away from them.

Vette quickly fired at the last droid before rushing to her master's side. The young Sith Lord was on one knee, clutching her left arm. As she neared her exhausted master, she saw a flicker. It was almost shadow like, except it wasn't dark. It flickered again and this time a young woman appeared by Xy'liah's side and knelt down to face her.

Vette's jaws dropped at the young woman. Where did she come from exactly and how long has she been standing there?

"Xy, are you ok?" the young woman spoke in a soft melodious like voice.

"Took you long enough," Xy'liah responded, taking the young woman's hand and standing up. She turned her left arm to get a better look at the wound. "Nothing, but a scratch."

"It's bleeding!" Vette exclaimed as she saw the wound clearly.

"The droid's armor must've cut you when you were taking it down," said the young woman, taking out some gauze and kolto salve. She took the Sith's injured arm and went to work, rubbing it with a good amount of kolto salve before patching it up.

"Ok, I know this is a bad time to talk, but who are you? And how did you just magically appear like that?" Vette asked as she watched the strange woman work on her master.

The young woman smiled. She was a beautiful specimen, human like Xy'liah, but much different. Her height was probably the only similarity she had to the Sith Lord besides some features of her face. Her eyes were a big cool grayish color, hair as black as space itself, and skin soft and porcelain like, "Cipher Nine. Pleasure to meet you."

"Cipher…Nine?" Vette asked confused.

"That's enough talking," said Xy'liah. Her eyes went from her wound to the still shocked twi'lek. "Give me the charge."

Vette took out the charge obediently and handed it to her master, who handed it to Cipher Nine.

"Make sure you get out before it goes off," warned the Sith.

"Of course. I'll contact you once everything is done. Meanwhile you better get out of here before more troops head this way," the young woman took the charge and made sure it was securely in her small pouch before looking up at the Sith and twi'lek again.

Xy'liah nodded, "I owe you, cousin."

The young woman smiled and slowly faded into thin air.

"Cousin?" Vette exclaimed.

"Let's go, Vette!" Xy'liah yelled, running back in the direction they came from.

"What exactly is going on out there?" asked Quinn's voice through Vette's headset.

"I-I'm so confused."

"Argh…you're hopeless."

* * *

><p>Chaos and panic filled the air of Gesselle Organa's bunker as alarms and troops were immediately rushed to defend her headquarters. The young general stood watching her monitors as it blinked ferociously with alerts and warnings. Twenty minutes ago, an alert came up of the planetary generator's failure. Without its' powers, the bunker was completely defenseless against all enemies. Gesselle had ordered her head technician, Prinn, to immediately fix the problem before something worse happened.<p>

A few minutes ago, the worst happened when reports from soldiers around the bunker came in of a Sith Lord on its way to her and ruthlessly taking down every last men Gesselle had. Gesselle closed her eyes and took a deep breath, toning out the surrounding voices of her advisors.

"General, our standing army outside is being wiped out! Someone or something is on its way here!" Kan'grel exclaimed.

"My technicians almost have the force field reset, but we're still sitting ducks!" Prinn said.

The advisors watched as their General calmly assessed the situation. She had been quiet the whole time since the generator's explosion and had not commanded any actions. Her silence was making them even more fearful of the upcoming confrontation.

"General, what do we do?" Prinn asked again, his voice quavering, but Gesselle continued to remain calm.

"Gesselle?" Blenks said taking a step closer to the General.

"There have been several assassinations of House Thul officials whose security systems were downed by the generator's explosion. In my opinion, House Ulgo is behind all of this," said Kan'grel.

"Your opinion is about to change," said a voice. The advisors all turned around startled to see a young woman accompanied by a twi'lek and young man standing at their doorway. "I am here on information about Jaesa Willsaam's family!"

"Intruder!" Prinn cried out, reaching for his blaster. But before he could properly aim his weapon at the Sith, the blaster flew out of his hand and directly toward their equipments, crashing into the big monitor. The monitor went blank with static jumping out as the blaster fell to the ground. Prinn and Kan'grel stepped back at the sight of the Sith's powers.

Blenks protectively stepped in front of Gesselle as the Sith continued to advance toward them, "Gesselle, get behind me."

"None of you panic," said Gesselle. "I'll handle this." She stepped past Blenks, Prinn, and Kan'grel meeting the Sith face to face. "Sith, did I hear you right? You perpetrated all of _this _in search of my former handmaiden?"

The Sith smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "I doubt you would've taken my call."

So this Sith had a sense of humor. How interesting. "It might've worked. I'm a practical woman. You have decimated my forces outside. They were to be deployed to secure a part of my front that's about to fall. Now I have no reinforcements. You seek information only I have and my front needs bolstering. Perhaps we can help each other?"

Silence filled the air of the bunker, but Gesselle could still hear the silent gasps coming from her advisors. She continued to meet the Sith's stare, who seemed to be contemplating her offer.

"How about I kill your subordinates one by one until I get what I want?"

"Go ahead," said the General stepping aside. "I'm not a commander with a soft heart. Kan'grel, Prinn, and Blenks knew the risks of serving a General. Even if you managed to kill them all, you still won't get anything from me until you agree to defend my front."

"Hmm," said Xy'liah. "Fine, I'll defend your front, but to make sure you keep your end of the bargain, one of them is coming with me."

"That won't be necessary. I am a woman of my word. Now on my left flank, there is a tunnel between my forces and House Ulgo that has been hard pressed by the enemy. I have a ragtag force defending that tunnel and Ulgo's about to attack. You must repel the enemy's forces. What's left of my forces at the end of the tunnel's choke point is being led by Lt. Dargus. I'll let Dargus know you're coming. He'll contact me as soon as you succeeded. Assuming you do. And once you do that, I'll tell you."

"How can I be sure of that?"

"If I don't, you can come back and kill us all one by one."

"Why waste time coming back when I can just get it over with now?" The Sith raised her hand as if holding something and in the next second, Blenks started choking.

"I'm telling you, Sith. Your threat won't work," said Gesselle.

The Sith smiled as she tightened her grip. Blenks started gasping for air and choking even more. Gesselle watched as he fell to his knees, his face blue.

"STOP IT! STOP!" she yelled as she rushed to his side. "Please don't kill him! Alright, I agree!" She watched Blenks as he looked at her with distant eyes. In the next second, Blenks stopped choking and gasping for air. He fell forward into Gesselle's arms as blood came rushing back to his face. Gesselle held him in her arms as she turned to face her other advisors. "Prinn, go with her."

"No," the Sith said. "I choose. And since you seem so overly fond of him, he's going with us." The Sith turned toward the young man to her left. "Get him, FirmRess."

The oversized man stepped forward and picked Blenks up off from Gesselle's arms, who desperately clutched onto him.

"No, please don't. He's too weak to face the Ulgo!" Gesselle stood up and rushed after FirmRess as he walked after his two other companions walking toward the door. "Blenks' my lover. I won't allow anything to happen to him!"

"Good," said the Sith, turning her face to meet Gesselle. "Then you'll have no problem holding up your end of the bargain." The three walked out of the door, leaving Gesselle with Kan'grel and Prinn.

"Nice bargaining, my lord," said Quinn as Xy'liah exited the bunker. "I don't think I could've done better myself. I have pinpointed your next location."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Quinn? I know where I am going," Xy'liah snapped back. Silence once again filled the air at the Sith's tone of voice.

* * *

><p>"Alright men, this is it. With the Captain d-dead, it falls on m-me to rally what's left of us. I-I guess the reinforcements won't be making it. We better get ready. Ulgo forces are fast approaching. I can feel the tunnels' walls sh-shaking," said Dargus. He looked at his small force. Despite his best to rally them, they all looked at him with fear. They knew their odds against defeating the incoming Ulgo attacks were slim and that this was probably their last fight. Dargus gulped at the thought of dying. How did he ever get into this?<p>

"That's your knees knocking together, coward," said a voice. Dargus turned to see Blenks with three other individuals.

"Lt, we've been flanked!" yelled one of the soldiers.

"No, wait!" Dargus said turning to the Sargeant. "General Gesselle send word of a Sith coming to our aid, but I thought I misheard her."

"Sir, I am not trusting a Sith. No way…"

"We're drastically outnumbered, Sergeant. The general has given orders, and besides, without help, we will die for sure."

"The rest of the men and me aren't sticking around for a suicide run."

"I'll see to it that none of you make to the door alive," threatened the Sith.

"Ulgo's coming, men! The Sith won't have time to fight us! I say we go. Come on," said the Sergeant to his comrades.

"Um, I don't think so, Sarge. The Sith could waste us all without batting an eyelash," said one of the other soldiers.

"Yeah and I don't relish the idea of being a deserter," said his friend next to him.

"That's the spirit, men!" said Dargus. He turned toward the Sergeant. "You are relieved, Sergeant. I will personally report this to General Gesselle later."

"That won't be necessary," said Xy'liah.

"See men! Don't trust the Si—"

The men stepped away as the Sergeant dropped to the ground after he had the life choked out of him. They looked at each other in fear and to the Sith and her companions as she smiled at her kill.

"What do we do now, Lt?" they all asked.

"Stand your ground and fight!" answered the Sith for him. She took out both her lightsabers.

The men frowned as they reluctantly grabbed their blaster rifles, "Let's go get into our position then."

Xy'liah turned toward FirmRess and Vette, "Ready?"

"Good luck, my lord," said Quinn.

"I won't need it."

The three walked to where the Organan troops took their positions as footsteps were heard from the tunnel entrance ahead. Xy'liah and FirmRess ignited their lightsabers as they waited.

There was dead silence as they waited for the Ulgo forces, each intently watching the tunnel's entrance for the first sight of troops. It was the longest minute of their lives as they waited, but alas in the distant, human forms were seen as a mob of Ulgo forces rushed toward them like ants.

Xy'liah wasted no time waiting for them to be in close range. The young Sith leapt to meet the oncoming troops, surprising FirmRess and the rest of the troops. They watching for a few seconds, stunned at the Sith's courageous or stupid move.

"What are you waiting for? Attack!" cried out Vette as she started shooting a few of Ulgo forces herself.

"Alright men, let them have it!" Dargus ordered. A series of red blaster bolts shot out from the front and raced toward the enemy's force. FirmRess rushed to Xy'liah's side, knocking aside any Ulgo troops in his way. But as he got nearer, the young Sith Lord went deeper and deeper within the enemy force.

* * *

><p>"Come on!" Quinn yelled at the console in front of him. The big monitor in front of him switched from views of the Alderaan's terrains to a view of the current battle going on. He had successfully tapped into Organa's security camera and could now see the battle with his own eyes.<p>

The blue eyes widened at the sight of the battle. He spotted his Lord as Ulgo forces swarmed like insects around her. Another figure was seen standing next to Xy'liah. _FirmRess._ Quinn studied the other Sith as he cut down the troops before him. Unlike Xy'liah, this Sith displayed no signs of extraordinary skills or powers. He was what Quinn called the typical Sith, using mainly his brute strength to knock down enemies.

His eyes shifted to Xy'liah once more. It was as if Quinn had somehow travelled back in time and standing in his old office on Balmorra as he watched the Sith fought her way through a countless number of enemies. The feelings on Balmorra all came rushing back to Quinn as he stood there, eyes glued to the screen. There was no doubt about it. He was drawn to her powers, to the way she effortlessly defeated one opponent after another, to her fluid and graceful form as she maneuvered her way through the group. He had forgotten how beautifully she fought. He had been too busily fighting opponents himself whenever he accompanied her on missions to even notice. Now he could just take a step back and observe her in her greatest form. There were certainly perks to staying aboard.

Quinn continued watching, his eyes restlessly travelling all over the monitor, doing their best to absorb the actions. He felt something familiar stirred within him. It was the same feeling that stirred within him on Balmorra; an urge to be next to her, to fight alongside her. There was a certain excitement and pleasure he received from watching her fight. On Balmorra, he had analyzed it to be his reawakened passion to do more for the Empire, but it wasn't exactly just that.

He outlined her small form as she leapt from one group to another. Never has she looked so beautiful to him, so attractive. He felt himself longing for her as images from the event on Tatooine raced across his mind.

Quinn scanned the battleground as something caught his eyes near the tunnel's entrance. Two humongous, tank-like, security droids were advancing closer to Xy'liah, who was too occupied with the men in front of her to notice. But before Quinn had a chance to warn her, two ion cannons shot in her direction.

"NO!" Quinn yelled at the screen as a huge explosion took place in the middle of the battlefield. Bodies of dead soldiers were seen flying in all directions and smoke filled the air. Everything went silent as everyone waited for the smoke to clear. Quinn leaned closer to the monitor, eagerly wanting to see the end result of the blast. His hands had been clenched for some time unbeknownst to him and he found his pulse quickened as adrenaline rushed into his system.

The smoke cleared finally to reveal FirmRess holding up a force shield around him and Xy'liah. Quinn squinted at the sight as Xy'liah's tiny figure stood up on the screen, crimson blades igniting once more.

She wasted no time rushing toward both the droids with FirmRess right behind her. Together, they took down the two machineries, ending the attack on the Organan troops.

* * *

><p>"There's blood all over! It's everywhere! EVERYWHERE!" shouted Dargus as the two Sith approached him.<p>

"That's just how I like it!" Xy'liah laughed.

"Eww…" Vette said.

"Despite that…this battle is…a miracle! You-you did it!"

"Your men put up an excellent fight, Lt," said Xy'liah.

"You're…too kind Sith." Dargus smiled as Blenks came next to him.

"I'll get Gesselle on the holo for you," Blenks said. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear of your success." Dargus handed him a holo, which he took and dialed in Gesselle's channel.

"Blenks! You're alive!" the General exclaimed at the sight of her lover.

"Yes, and the Sith…she did it," said Blenks. "She repelled every single attack Ulgo threw at us."

Gesselle's tiny image turned to face Xy'liah, "Sith, as painful as this has been. You have come through. I hope you're not expecting a thank you?"

"I did what you asked. Now I want what you promised," said Xy'liah.

"Yes, well a deal is a deal. I promised you to tell where Jaesa's parents could be found. They have been servants of Castle Organa for many years. Sith, the Willsaams are simple, innocent, hardworking people. They deserve your mercy."

"I'll take it under consideration."

"That's all I can ask."

Xy'liah nodded and took to the Organan tent before setting out. Dargus and the rest followed, each quiet and fearful of what the Sith might do next. But she only took a few kolto injections before setting out to Castle Organa.

"That was excellent work back then!" FirmRess exclaimed as they entered the tunnel.

Xy'liah turned toward him and smiled, "You saved my life. What say we go somewhere nice and quiet after all of this is done and I can repay my debt to you."

FirmRess smiled, his cheeks turning red at the young woman's suggestion, "I'd like that."

"Hey!" Vette exclaimed. "Did you see me? I think I'm getting better at picking my targets from observing you. My aim is more precise now!"

"I noticed, Vette."

The twi'lek smiled to herself proudly.

On the other side of the headset, however, stood a Quinn, displeased with the statements his master had said.

"I must part with you here, friend," said FirmRess. "Duke Kendoh has called upon me. I hope the Force guides and protect you on your journey to find the Willsaams."

Xy'liah frowned, "Really, FirmRess. You can't keep disappearing on me. It's no way to treat a lady."

"I'm sorry, but Duke Kendoh has other business for me."

"I'm starting to dislike the duke even more," said Xy'liah as she motioned for Vette to follow her. "Well, just remember. After all of this is over, you're mine." She gave the Sith a wink before setting off toward Castle Organa.

* * *

><p>"No, General Gesselle's warning was true. The Sith has come for us!" exclaimed Parvin at the sight of the Sith.<p>

"Men, rally around me. The fight is upon us!" called Master Volryder. He watched as the Sith neared them.

"I didn't think a single assailant could make it through Castle Organa's defenses all the way here to us," said Gregor drawing his wife close.

At this, the Sith smiled proudly, "I didn't even break a sweat."

"Consider yourself warned, Sith. You will not harm Parvin and Gregor Wilssaam. I vow it," the Jedi Master raised his blue lightsaber in front of him, but the young Sith merely glanced at the burning blue blade as a look of boredom overcame her.

"Yeah? Well I disavow it," she crossed her arms, her bored glance dismissing Volryder's blade altogether.

"Please, Master Jedi. If we really are the cause of all these deaths, I want to know why," said Gregor.

The Jedi Master cursed within his head. It was never a good idea to reason with a Sith or drag out an inevitable fight, but he couldn't say no to his patron, "Fine, say your piece, Sith. But I am not going anywhere and I will protect them no matter what."

"It's going to be fun acquainting you with reality."

"Please, if there is something you want with us, I want to hear it," Gregor said as the Sith turned toward him.

"Gregor, this has to do with Jaesa. I just know it," Parvin said from his arms. A look of fear came over her as she trembled within her husband's arms.

"Give her a prize! I can see where Jaesa gets her force sensitivity from."

Volryder frowned at the Sith's sarcastic humor.

"I knew she shouldn't have gone with the Jedi. Now the Empire is after her. Sith, Jaesa was our life. She was going to marry Organan nobility so we would no longer have to be servants."

"When she…left, we sacrificed that dream. We don't know anything about Jaesa. We were told we would probably never see her again. We are mere servants. What could you want with us?" Gregor added.

"You'll be my message to Jaesa."

"You just want us to give her a message?"

"No, Gregor. It's our deaths that will be a message to Jaesa." Gregor turned toward his wife as the fear rose in her voice. All colors and blood disappered from her face as she stared at him with big fearful eyes.

"Listen to your wife, Gregor Willsaam. Her explaination is very likely and true," the Jedi Master added.

"Please, Sith, is there any way to inspire you to spare us?"

"Nothing springs to mind." Xy'liah quickly used the Force to push back the Jedi, who flew a couple of feet far from them. She quickly used the Force again to quickly choke and kill the Willsaams.

"NO!" Volrdyer exclaimed as he regained balance. "I have never seen a Sith kill like that and so fast. I had no time to intervene. I can only redeem myself by bringing you to justice."

"Only your rage can kill me."

"Yes, my shame must be eradicated." He raised his blade and rushed at the Sith, who jumped back, taking out her two lightsabers and igniting them. The ambers within her eyes turned to a yellow-red as she called upon the Force.

Volryder, again, rushed at her, his blue blade making contacts with her crimson ones. He smiled as he watched her over the blades. At the Jedi Academy, he was told to be quite skilled at disarming anyone, including those who wielded two handed weapons. And that's exactly what he did with this Sith.

She seemed quite surprised to see her lightsabers flying off in different directions as he had her pinned down beneath him.

Volryder raised the blade next to him with one hand holding the hilt while the other was rested against the butt, ready to push the blade into the Sith as any moment, "Your death will pay for theirs." He thrusted the blade toward the Sith only to be caught off guard by what happened next.

His lightsaber was mere centimeters from her face and went no more beyond that. Volryder's eyes widened as he saw a ripple of red surrounding the Sith. Amazing. She had called the Force to her side and somehow manifested it to use as a shield. Never had he seen powers so raw before.

Her eyes never left him as she continued to stare and concentrate. The yellow red hue of her eyes was slowly turning to a blood red as she called upon the Force more and more.

Volryder felt himself being lifted off the ground and in the next instance he was flying toward a wall. His back hit the wall with a thud, causing him to release his blade as he fell to the ground. He pushed the cold marbled floor with his right hand and rolled to his side. His body ached from that slam against the wall so much that he found it quite difficult to stand up. He forced his eyes open and quickly spotted the deactivated lightsaber on the floor a few feet away from him. It was rolling off the ground, but not to him.

Volryder watched as his lightsaber flew into the hand of his opponent. She stopped and towered over him, her blood red eyes glowing. It was over. He had lost the duel and was now going to pay for it with his life.

Volryder closed his eyes and began reciting the Jedi Code as he heard the sound of his own lightsaber activating. _There is no death, there is the Force. There is no-_

* * *

><p>"Ah, apprentice, I see the Sith attending to Duke Kendoh has patched me through to you. I am seeking an update. News of your search for Jaesa Willsaam has reached me and I am quite concern," Baras said, watching his apprentice as her companion came up besides her.<p>

"Relax, old man. All is under control," the young woman replied back with her usual hint of annoyance in her tone. Baras frowned at her behind his mask, but chose to ignore it as he always did whenever she displayed her little attitude.

"That is not what I am hearing. Duke Kendoh has contacted to me tell me you have been busying yourself with personal exploits and disregarding my mission."

Her face switched to a more curious one, "What exactly did he say about me?"

"In a moment. First the more important subject. Tell me you've found the family of Nomen Karr's Padawan. Tell me they have been taken care of."

"Yes, master. It is done." Even when she was trying to be sweet to him, Baras could still sense a hint of mockery and annoyance. She was indeed one of the most rebellious apprentices sent to him, but he was slowly training himself to tolerate it. He found himself somewhat enjoying himself whenever he conversed with her. She kept him on his wits aside from the usual obedient students.

"Then all is well. Good. No doubt the Padawan is twisting with grief now. You eclipsed my greatest hopes for you and proved that you belonged by my side. Which makes my susceptibility to Duke Kendoh's gossip about you all the more foolish."

"Are you going to tell me what that maggot said or not?"

"First off, the Duke said you set off an explosion that caused the deaths of several Thul's dignitaries."

"That was his idea, not mine."

"Hmm, it must be politically advantageous for him to disavow his role in such thing. Kendoh also said you helped the Republic defended their front against Ulgo, painting you a traitor."

"Doing so expedited my mission."

He smiled at her quick responses, "Well, I do not care about the trivial war on Alderaan. All that matters to me is that your mission is complete. For whatever reason, the man has taken it upon himself to slander you. I have no more use of him. If I were you, I'd make him pay severely."

"It's going to be fun seeing him explain this one."

"Do what you will, but quickly. Until we destroy the threat of Nomen Karr's Padawan, nothing else is important. Good bye."

* * *

><p>"Ah, come in. I heard of your success. I am so pleased for you!" Duke Kendoh said as Xy'liah came into his chambers.<p>

"Was telling Baras that I murdered your rivals and calling me a traitor payback for not getting Renata?" She crossed her arms, waiting for his explanation. The question caught the Duke off guard. He hadn't expected her to be so direct about it.

"Oh, uh…hehe. I see. How awkward for me. Allow me to explain. I realized that when you blew up the power generator, several of my rivals would be exposed. So I seized the opportunity to eliminate them. I," his tone switched to a more careful one as he explained more. "had company when your master called and I had to keep several of my house members blind to my maneuvering—"

"That's a lie! You contacted Baras by yourself!" FirmRess said from behind him. The Duke turned toward him, surprised.

"You used me," Xy'liah said.

"We all get used in this little political game, my dear. I only wanted Baras to know I was looking out for him. It was harmless, I knew you would succeed and all Baras would care about was that. Please…please don't…kill me. FirmRess, you and your men are assigned to me. If I am attacked you must defend!"

"If Darth Baras' apprentice decides you die, we will not intercede."

"Kendoh's going to die. You can count on that," said Xy'liah as she narrowed her eyes at the Duke.

"It will be a pleasure to be relieved of this assignment. Can we help at all?"

"I want you to kill him."

"As you wish."

"You were supposed to protect me!" yelled Kendoh as FirmRess took out his lightsaber and jabbed the lightsaber deep within the Duke. His body fell onto the ground before them.

"Eww…I hate that awful smell," said Vette pinching her nose and turning away from the body.

"He was a sad and twisted waste of space. Serving him was torture," said FirmRess staring down at the body.

"I can imagine," the Sith smiled at her companion as his dark eyes met hers.

"Now we report back to our master on the Council. We will be paying attention to your exploits," FirmRess bowed. "Farewell, Xy'liah."

"Wait, you haven't forgotten our deal have you?"

FirmRess looked the young woman in the eye as she gave him a mischievous smile, "That is…if you don't have to go now." Xy'liah stepped closer to him as the Sith awkwardly looked around at his colleagues.

"I…guess there is no reason to rush—"

"Good, then let us be on our way." The young woman took the Sith's arm and pulled him toward the exit.

"I guess I'll head back to the ship," said Vette. "And update the Captain on this."

"Don't wait up for me."

* * *

><p>"She what?" Quinn exclaimed as the twi'lek told him of Xy'liah's whereabouts. "She's doing it again."<p>

"Doing what?"

"She is neglecting her mission."

"Calm down, Captain. She deserves a break. Don't you know our motto? Work hard, play hard."

"I won't rest until the threat is eliminated."

"And it will be." Vette raised a brow at the irritated Captain. "Are you afraid she'll run off and elope with FirmRess?"

"Did she say where she was going?" Quinn asked, ignoring the twi'lek's earlier comment.

"Why? Are you planning on stalking her?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you were thinking it," Vette smiled as she saw the Captain looked down a lot more irritated than he had been. "Now, if you are that worried about her, why don't you sit and wait for her? In the meantime, I'm going to take a next relaxing bath."

* * *

><p>Quinn sat staring down at the empty hangar before him. He took a quick gulp of the whiskey flash in his hand as he waited for Xy'liah to come back. Night had already fallen and the Sith had yet to make an appearance. Quinn frowned. He had sat on the ramp of the Fury waiting for her to show up for hours. How long was she going to make him wait?<p>

Quinn's mind turned to the thought of FirmRess and Xy'liah as he waited. He had always known the Sith to meet and marry someone her equal, but he had not thought it to be this soon. Why, that Sith was not even her equal. He was far from it. She deserved someone better, more powerful. Quinn lifted the flask to his mouth and chugged down the remaining whiskey before wiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand.

He let out a sigh as thoughts of Xy'liah wandered into his mind and he found himself once again replaying their time together on Tatooine. If only…if only he had not taken the time to rescue Major Ovech, he could be there by her side. But would it have mattered? Knowing the Sith, she would probably still shamelessly flirted with FirmRess in front of the Captain without a single sign of respect or remorse. If that was true, he had no need of her. What had he been thinking? He had been right to choose Major Ovech over her. He couldn't let her cloud his judgments. Major Ovech was vital to the Empire's success. _Rescuing him was the right move. _He told himself.

"Heh," Quinn said to himself as he analyzed his past behavior. He had been acting like a fool, allowing her to get in between him and his mission. Their relationship was purely professional. She was his superior officer and he was here to do a job. Now that she has found someone to keep herself busy, he would no longer have to worry about little nonsense getting in the way of his operations. Finally he would be free to fully concentrate.

Something flickered to the side of Quinn's eyes. He turned to see a familiar figure appearing at the hangar's entrance. Xy'liah walked toward the ship in an almost gleeful manner. She marched up the ramp to a waiting Quinn, who stood up to received her.

"We are ready to depart, my lord."


	8. Chapter 8

Aboard the Fury, Quinn and Vette waited as they watched Xy'liah interacted with the Dark Lord. As usual, she still continued to poke fun at him whenever she had the chance. Quinn frowned at most of the statements directed at Lord Baras. He eyed Xy'liah as she shifted weights from one side of her body to another, running his eyes from her boots up to that perfectly coiffed bun she always wore. Yes, she was indeed attractive physically…but personality wise, there were a lot of things he found himself disagreeing with her on. He frowned at that thought. That just confirmed that it was best to leave their relationship just the way it was (not that it was anything more in the first place).

A small vibration came from Quinn's hip. The Captain and Vette both turned toward each other quizzically and looked down to the source. Quinn took out the small datapad he always carried with him. He had wired and programmed everything about the ship into that small datapad, so he could always be alerted on what was going on even if he was away from his post.

The Captain touched the screen and an alert of an incoming call flashed in red. He ignored it, letting it forward. Whatever it was, it wasn't as important as the Dark Lord. That call could wait until after Darth Baras has finished his call.

"What is it?" he heard Vette whispered to him.

"Nothing more important than Darth Baras himself," Quinn replied.

Vette frowned, but turned back toward the two Sith as it was clear she would not get nothing more out of the Captain.

The two Sith's conversation ended shortly after and Quinn took it as his cue to report the earlier call.

"My lord, I thought it prudent not to interrupt Darth Baras. We received a recorded transmission. It is queued when you are ready."

Xy'liah nodded at him and he brought up the recorded transmission with a push of a button.

All eyes turned toward the hologram as a young lady dressed in a bunch of robes appeared on holo, "Sith, I am Jaesa Willsaam. My master, Nomen Karr, has no idea I'm sending this message. Let's be real, we both know this isn't about us."

"Ah, the hunted seeks the hunter," Quinn said as the girl spoke.

"Our masters pretend otherwise, but this is personal. You and I are only pawns in their private war. And those I care about are caught in the middle. This has to stop."

"Wow, gotta give it to her. She sure got guts," said Vette.

"She sure does," Xy'liah agreed softly as she continued to study the young Padawan. The young Sith smiled at the recording. The young Padawan reminded her somewhat of herself: young, powerful, and direct.

"This message contains coordinates where I'll be waiting in my ship. Let's discuss this face to face. No more nonsense."

Xy'liah smiled. Finally someone has decided her time was valuable enough to not be wasted on anymore nonsense chases, "How could that naive thing be a threat to Darth Baras?"

"My lord, there may be more to this. I wouldn't necessarily trust her," Quinn advised.

"Sooooo paranoid! Don't listen to Captain Stuffy! He's going to die alone and friendless," said Vette.

The two humans turned their head toward her. She watched as Xy'liah smiled while Quinn gave her his usual frown in the back.

"You may be right," Xy'liah said with a small chuckle.

"The coordinates are set," Quinn cut in, his tone quite displeased. "We can rendezvous with her ship whenever you are ready." With that the Captain stormed off toward his post, paying no mind to the other two.

Xy'liah and Vette watched as the Captain made the turn toward the bridge room. They turned to look at each other, each with a smile on her face still.

* * *

><p>"Well, well, we'll have to thank Nomen Karr after all. The Sith showed."<p>

Xy'liah stopped short of the two Jedi in front of her. She frowned. Quinn was right. This was a trap. She frowned even more at the thought of breaking that news to him.

Next to her, Vette let out a groan as she caught sight of the Jedi. Whenever there was Jedi, there was definitely a battle that followed. She had really thought this confrontation to be a peaceful one. She crossed her arms, quite annoyed. She should've stayed onboard, but after their little fun with Quinn, Xy'liah thought it best to leave the Captain to cool off and monitor their progress while they took care of business.

The two Jedi stood face to face with the Sith and twi'lek. There was a more slender built one to Xy'liah's left with red hair and blue eyes, eyes that emitted such cockiness and a more stoutly built one with dark hair and dark eyes. The red haired one smirked as he saw Xy'liah's frustrations surfacing. His hands were casually set upon his hips as he examined the young Sith from head to toe.

"Stand down, Sith," said the other Jedi. "The Padawan you seek is not here. Master Karr has discovered her plan and talked her out of it."

"It's not your day," his partner said. "You were expecting one lowly Padawan to crush and instead…you get us." An intrigued smile crept upon his face as he watched the Sith.

"Save yourself the trouble and tell me where she is," Xy'liah demanded. She was getting quite irritated with this little chase. Who knew Jedi were so full of games? She had hoped it to end here, but apparently the Jedi had other plans in mind.

The Jedi turned toward his friend with a smile, "The Sith has a sense of humor. Believe me, Master Karr didn't send us here to help you."

"I am Uldin," said the stoutly one. "And this is Zylixx. We are fully trained Jedi Knights and more than your match. You should submit."

"Of course, we haven't yet met a Sith who had the sense to surrender. You all seem bent on having us destroy you."

"You really want to kill me so bad?" Xy'liah asked, crossing her arms. "So do it." She gave Zylixx a challenging smirk. "Oh, that's right. You're not allowed to attack unless I attack first!"

Zylixx frowned at the Sith's statement, "You might just be an exception."

"Now, Zylixx," said Uldin. "We assumed the Sith would engage as all others we've faced have. If that is not the case-"

"No, Uldin! The Sith will continue to hunt Nomen Karr and his Padawan. We must end the threat for good!" Zylixx's eyes narrowed at Uldin, who looked somewhat taken aback by his partner's outburst.

"Ha! Keep thinking like that and you'll fall to the dark side sooner than you know it!" said Xy'liah edging on the already irritated Zylixx.

Zylixx turned toward the Sith, eyes narrowed and even more displeased than before, "Shut. Your. Mouth."

"Zylixx, remain calm. The Sith is trying to unbalance you. Don't let this get under your skin," said Uldin.

Xy'liah smiled even more as Zylixx's face turned to match the shade of his hair. If they were going to make her play their little games then she will oblige, but not without adding her own little fun, "I'm the calmer one here. Ha, look at him all jumpy and anxious. He can barely contain his feelings. The lust for battle is in his eyes. I can see it. It's growing!"

"LIAR! I'm not weak like you! We simply meet force to force!"

Xy'liah laughed even louder, her voice echoing throughout the Padawan's ship, "You are my brother. Attack and let us see your true colors!"

"NO!" yelled Zylixx, grabbing his lightsaber.

"Zylixx! Get ahold of yourself!" yelled Uldin as Xy'liah retrieved both of hers.

"No! No more talk! You die, Sith!" the blue blade ignited and swung at Xy'liah who blocked it by crossing both her crimson sabers together. She looked into the blue eyes of the Jedi and sensed his hate for her building. _Excellent. This should be interesting._ Xy'liah pushed him back with both blades and landed a kick straight to his chest.

The Jedi stumbled clumsily backward, trying to catch his balance from the Sith's force. He did quickly and rushed to attack the Sith, hammering her with continuous blows.

Uldin watched his companion attacked the Sith, gripping the hilt of his lightsaber and igniting it, "Zylixx!" He was attacking her too carelessly, leaving huge areas exposed. But the Sith didn't seem to notice as she continued to dodged and parried his blows with an amused face. She was dragging this on, trying to tire him out and then she will—Uldin shook his head to rid the thought. No, he couldn't think about that yet. The Jedi stepped forward, but a blaster bolt shot straight across his path, nearly grazing him. He stopped, surprised, and turned toward the twi'lek. She had been standing next to her master from the start, but had been so quiet during their conversation that he had forgotten all about her. A careless and novice mistake.

Uldin turned toward her and raised his lightsaber to a defense mode as the twi'lek fired a few more bolts. He easily deflected the incoming bolts.

"AH!" yelled a familiar voice and Uldin turned toward the source of the voice to see Zylixx falling to his knees. His eyes widened as the Jedi fell. In the middle of his chest was a huge lightsaber hole.

"NO! ZYLIXX!" he yelled, quite shocked.

"Eh, he was asking for it," said the Sith nonchalantly as she stood over his body. She turned toward Uldin as he fell to his knees; his face was pale at the sight of his longtime partner's body.

"Wh-what a waste! I had no idea Zylixx was so…imbalanced…" His eyes turned toward the Sith as she walked toward him. "You exposed his weakness so easily."

"Zylixx would've revealed himself someday."

"Perhaps you're right. You won the day, Sith. So kill me if you must," Uldin lowered his head in defeat as the shadow of the Sith towered over him. In his head, he started reciting the Jedi Code.

Xy'liah frowned at the Jedi's quick surrender. The sight of him made her even more irritated and angered at the fact that she still had to find the young Padawan, "Go inform Karr that I will not be denied! He and his Padawan will fall to me!" Her lightsabers returned to her belt.

"Your mercy is unexpected," said Uldin as he stood up. In front of him, the Sith was frowning, but he sensed no hostility coming from her. "I'll convey the message."

Xy'liah nodded and turned to walk away with Vette following her.


	9. Chapter 9

"How did it go, my lord?" Quinn asked upon Xy'liah's and Vette's arrival.

"What, didn't you listen in on us?" Xy'liah replied as she took off her gloves.

"I actually was occupied with something unexpected and personal."

Xy'liah stopped and raised an eyebrow at Quinn while Vette took the quick opportunity to slip past the two to her quarters. She flashed the Captain an "Oooo" look before running off. She knew Xy'liah didn't take kindly to slackers. The Sith Lord had made that very clear during Vette's first week aboard the Fury. She had threatened multiple times whenever the twi'lek was caught slacking off to put back the shock collar she had taken off of her during their time together on Dromund Kaas. Vette detested the rule at first, but soon learned to tolerate it. After all, their motto was work hard, play hard and that was just what the Sith Lord did right after they left Dromund Kaas. _Hmm…I wonder what the Captain is up to…_Between the two of them, Vette had always guessed herself to be the one that Xy'liah yelled at the most for lack of work or ignoring her post. Had the Captain actually forgotten their Sith Lord's rule? Or was he outright defying her for whatever reason he saw fit?

Vette stopped a little midway down the hall, far enough to not be seen, but close enough to still hear.

"Did I hear you right, Quinn? Were you ignoring your duties and post?" she heard Xy'liah said.

"No, my lord, I was not ignoring my post or duties-"

"But you weren't doing them either?"

"….It's not what it looks like-"

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear when I said that I _will not_ tolerate such behaviors. When you are here, you are here to work. You are _not _here to take care of your personal duties!"

"But my lord-"

"Maybe I have been too lax on this rule or maybe after your other little voyages you think it appropriate to pursue more. Perhaps that was my mistake. I'm not unreasonable unlike most Sith, but I can see that rewarding you for your behavior has gotten to your head."

"My lord, please-"

"Perhaps I shouldn't have let you go at all? Maybe then, you wouldn't think it appropriate to go over my head and to put other personal matters before your duties! I thought you better than that, Quinn! I can see why Moff Broysc did what he did."

"MY LORD!"

The room went silent. Vette's eyes widened at the sound of the voice. Had the Captain lost his mind? Not only did he defy his duties, but he yelled at the Sith Lord! A Sith Lord! Did he want to get himself killed? There were a few minutes of silence and Vette wondered what exactly was going on. Maybe she was choking him right now? Maybe he was already dead?

"You raised your voice at me, Captain? You are treading on very thin ice," came the Sith's voice. It was low, but Vette could still hear the anger between the words spoken. Not to mention the deep breaths she took in an effort to calm herself down.

"My lord, I would _never _defy you nor ignore my duties, but I am dealing with a situation that's getting out of hand. I was at my post and ready to contact you to check up on your progress when Moff Broysc contacted the ship and was incensed to find me at the helm. Ever since then, he's been sending recorded messages every few minutes that are progressively more nonsensical. He's always been scattered and aggressive, but now he seemed completely unhinged. The recordings piled up quickly to the point where it disrupted operations and distracted me from my duties. When I did find the opportunity to contact you, you were already onboard."

"The next time he comes calling, I will speak with the man."

"I would appreciate that, my lord. Tens of thousands of soldiers and some of our most critical campaigns are at the mercy of his command."

"That man is a liability."

"I find myself agreeing with you."

"Patch me through to Baras."

"Right away, my lord."

Vette heard the Captain's boots walked off toward the bridge room and took the opportunity to emerge from her listening spot.

She found Xy'liah standing where she was when she had first left the room, hands on her hips and deep in thoughts.

"I swear sometimes you guys sound like a married couple," she said to break the silence.

Xy'liah looked up at her companion.

"Ugh, I can never be with anyone of his kind," she said with a hint of disgust in her voice. "They're nothing, but idiots. All of them. And I don't relish the thought of being tied down to a desk in Dromund Kaas."

"Dromund Kaas isn't that bad, apprentice," said the familiar metallic voice. The two turned to see Baras' image on holo. "I'm so glad you called me. I was just about to contact you with news."

Xy'liah rolled her eyes and gave Vette a dreaded look before walking off to talk to her master. Vette quickly ducked out once more toward the bridge.

When she entered the cockpit, Quinn took no notice of her as he went about his business around the place. She watched him for a while as she slipped into the co-pilot's chair before attempting to make conversation yet again.

"So-"

"Shouldn't you be working?" he said without looking at her as he double checked something on his datapad.

"Baras called."

"I know."

"I—"

"Please do not disturb me while I am working."

Vette frowned as the Captain continued double checking his datapad with the ship's data. She definitely didn't want to be working and she definitely didn't want to go out there and stand around, listening while Xy'liah took orders from Baras though it is pretty amusing at times. She opened her mouth and attempted one last time to spark a conversation before resorting to work, "I heard you guys kissed."

She watched the Captain froze in his tracks as the hair on his neck stood up. His ears perked up and he slowly turned toward the twi'lek. _Gotcha! _Vette smiled at the dumbfounded look the Captain wore, quite proud of herself.

"Where are you getting your sources from?"

"I overheard Xy'liah talking before we landed on Nar Shaddaa."

"To whom?"

Vette shrugged, "Not sure. I couldn't hear much after that. Anyways, how was it? Were her lips soft? Was it romantic? Who kissed who? Who started it? Probably her, huh? I don't think you would have the guts to kiss her anyways."

Quinn frowned at the questions. Great…now Vette knew. No doubt she'll be bothering him with questions about it for weeks and just when he decided to put it behind him.

"I want to know how it happened!" she exclaimed when no answer came.

"I don't believe this is any of your business."

"Do you like her? Do you _love _her? Are you guys going to get married now? I really hope your kids don't come out as monotonous as you are. Can you imagine what they would look like? They'd be so adorable! Little Siths running around, causing chaos and destruction. What are you going to name them?"

Quinn clenched his teeth and fists as anger filled him up. He was getting quite annoyed with all of Vette's excessive chatter. Why had Xy'liah taken off that damn shock collar? Wasn't she annoyed by her too? He closed his eyes in an attempt to remain calm and drowned out her endless questions, but it seemed to do no good.

"Hmm do you think she'll take on your name? Lord Xy'liah Quinn…Xy'liah Quinn. Nah, why would she when her name is better known? She'll probably make you take hers! Malavai Kazama! Can you imagine that?"

"That's enough badgering the Captain, Vette," came the familiar voice.

Quinn and Vette whirled around to see Xy'liah standing at the entrance of the bridge. She was fully armored once more as she stood staring at them with her amber eyes.

"Head for Hutta," she commanded.

"Right away, my lord," said Quinn immediately reaching for the navigation.

As he worked, Xy'liah turned and gave Vette one last warning glance before walking out of the bridge room.


	10. Chapter 10

The Fury landed on Hutta's orbital station just as Xy'liah finished briefing Quinn and Vette on the situation. According to Baras, Nomen Karr had called him to his safe house to discuss things once and for all. Of course instead of the Dark Master going, he sent his prized champion instead.

"That sounds like a big task," said Vette. "Isn't Nomen Karr a powerful Jedi Master? Wouldn't that be like facing Darth Baras himself?"

"Unfortunately I must agree with Vette on this one," said Quinn as Vette turned excitedly to face him. "If he were to use a Jedi mind trick like the last Jedi we encountered, you'd be facing him on your own. Perhaps we can draw him out somewhere out of his element?"

"It's a suicide mission yet again," the twi'lek added.

"We do not have the time—nor do I have the patience—for any of that," said Xy'liah.

"Forgive me, my lord, but we should not rush into this like all the others. I admit we were lucky then, but soon that will run out," said Quinn.

"Alright Captain, go devise another ingenious plan for us," said Xy'liah. "And call me when you're done. I'm going." She turned her eyes toward Vette. "Let's go."

"Um…I don't think me interacting with the Hutts or anyone on this planet for that matter will be a good idea…" said the twi'lek.

"I'll go," volunteered Quinn. "I can always devise us a plan while en route. It's what I was trained for."

"Jeez, is there anything you _aren't_ trained for?" asked Vette.

Quinn narrowed his eyes at the twi'lek as he said plain and simple, "No."

"Enough, we need to go now," said Xy'liah. She turned from the table and walked out of the door of the conference room as Quinn and Vette followed.

* * *

><p>"Your presence tells me that my fellow Uldin and Zylixx must've failed," said Nomen Karr as Xy'liah and Quinn entered the safe house. The older man stood up from his mediation state and turned to face the two. "Pity. I should've known Baras couldn't be trusted. As a man of my word, I am here, alone as agreed. Your master shows himself as a coward, sending you in his stead."<p>

"He sends me to do all his killings," said Xy'liah.

"You are still young. I am a full-fledged Jedi Master and stronger in the Force."

"It hardly seems fair for you."

Nomen Karr smiled and chuckled lightly at the young Sith's responses. He sensed a rebellious nature to her. _Baras must be having fun with this one. _The Jedi Master thought as images of his foe's irritated face rushed in and out of his head. He walked forward a bit to close the gap between the Sith and him.

"You are Baras' pawn, a resourceful and powerful one, but still only that. I must put an end to you." Nomen Karr drew out his green lightsaber as Xy'liah ignited both her crimson sabers. "Once you are out of the way, Jaesa will provide the proof I need in order to open the Jedi Council's eyes and expose Baras' network of spies."

"What network of spies?"

"Don't try to lie to me. I already know. This ends now, Sith." The Jedi Master rushed at Xy'liah with a leap of the Force, bringing his lightsaber down clashing against hers.

Quinn aimed his blaster at the Jedi Master, quickly taking the opportunity to strike at him while he was exposed.

"No, you stay out of this! He's mine!" yelled Xy'liah before Quinn could pull the trigger.

The Captain frowned at the command, but obeyed, slowly lowering his weapon as the Jedi Master attempted to once again strike Xy'liah. He took a step back as the two began their duel. He stood watching as Nomen Karr continuously attacked Xy'liah, who did pretty well defending herself.

Over the course of their time together, Quinn couldn't help, but mentally note her fighting style. Hardly does she go for the attack, but rather defend until she could find an opening. It proved to be quite an efficient method, bringing her this far into her campaign. Her opponents over the course of the campaign haven't been quite easy either. But they have indeed prepared her for this one. He noticed how her endurance and stamina increased with each passing battle, and just about almost every time she was the one to outlast her opponents.

He watched as the Sith did exactly just that, striking at Nomen Karr's exposed body parts. However the Jedi Master did sneak in an attack or two, knocking her back, but Xy'liah recovered easily and continued to meet every single attack head on.

The Jedi Master was indeed strong, but Quinn noticed how more and more fatigued he seemed to be getting as the fight dragged out.

Nomen Karr brought his lightsaber down just as Xy'liah sidestepped the attack, the lightsaber just barely touching her. It was there that Quinn saw the perfect opportunity to attack. The whole Jedi's side was exposed! He wanted to shout out to her, but she was already one step ahead of him as she did her infamous roundhouse kick combination and sent the Jedi flying across the room with the help of the Force.

Nomen Karr clutched at his side as he panted, gasping for air, "Ah! The Force…is very strong with you…I must dig deeper!"

"You're digging your own grave, Jedi."

The Jedi Master frowned at the Sith's comment as he called upon the Force. What happened next took both Quinn and Xy'liah by surprised. He was now surrounded by a familiar red electric current. His eyes turned blood red as Quinn always saw Xy'liah's did whenever she called upon the Force herself. His skin became a very pale color as he stood up once more, energized by his new source of power.

_He's calling upon the dark side of the Force? _Quinn thought to himself as the Jedi leapt once more at Xy'liah. For someone who was quite communed to the light side of the Force, it was surprising how fast he turned dark.

Quinn shifted his eyes to Xy'liah, who was now showing signs of fatigue as the Jedi brought his lightsaber clashing down in a series of quick, aggressive strikes. At one point, she had to step back to regain her balance as he summoned a massive amount of the Force to knock her back even more.

She flew back, landing on the ground, stomach first. Her lightsabers flew out of her hands and landed quite a distant away from her.

"NO!" Quinn shouted as the Jedi walked toward Xy'liah. Instinctively, he took out his blaster and aimed for the back of Nomen Karr's head, firing a few round of blaster bolts.

The Jedi quickly turned around and deflected the bolts. His attention was now on Quinn and his eyes narrowed in anger as he began walking in his direction.

Quinn gripped his blaster tighter as he fired a few more rounds only to have them deflected once again. The Jedi grinned as he closed the distance between them and Quinn's mind began racing, calculating the best course of action in taking down this powerful foe. His eyes scanned the room for any useful objects or ideas.

"I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this," he said, now rushing at Quinn.

Quinn quickly took out a flash grenade from his utility belt, but before he could use it, another force knocked the Jedi to the left. Quinn stepped back to see Xy'liah standing before him, looking at the fallen Jedi Master. Like the Jedi, there was a red current surrounding her too and her amber eyes turned completely red. She gripped her lightsabers tighter as the Jedi stood up. This time Xy'liah barely gave him time to recover as she quickly leapt at him, striking him with both lightsabers as he struggled to defend himself.

"NO! This is not right!" Quinn heard Nomen Karr shouting. "Fall! You must fall to me!"

"I never do what I'm supposed to do!" shouted Xy'liah back as she aggressively attacked.

"Silence, Sith!" Nomen Karr stretched out his hand and Xy'liah flew back, knocking into Quinn.

The couple flew back a few feet with Quinn breaking the fall as his back skidded on the ground. He let out a cry of agony as he felt the Sith pushed herself off of him. He lay on the ground for a moment before calling upon the strength to slowly sit up. He quickly looked for Xy'liah, only to see her doing fine as she stood towering over an injured Nomen Karr.

"My wound is mortal, Sith. At least I die knowing that you'll never find Jaesa." The Jedi looked up at Xy'liah, his lightsaber deactivated beside him. Bruises and cuts covered his body as he clutched at the same side Xy'liah had attacked earlier.

Footsteps were heard and Quinn turned to see a group of Imperial troopers rushing at them.

"My lord!" called out one of the troopers. "Darth Baras sent us in case…you…needed…help." He carefully eyed the surroundings eventually landing on the injured Jedi next to Xy'liah. "Clearly that's not the case. May we stabilize him?"

"NO! Baras must be damned…I…want…to die. Then Jaesa will be safe," Nomen Karr protested.

"I'm not done, Karr. You have given me a lot of trouble trying to find you. You wasted my time on useless wild chases and idiots! You will suffer as no one has suffered!" shouted Xy'liah.

"May the force protect…me," the Jedi closed his eyes and collapsed forward.

"We'll save him, my lord and then be out of your way in an adjacent chamber. Hurry men, the Jedi is fading," the trooper said to his men.

A medic stepped forward and quickly went to work to stabilize the Jedi.

Xy'liah walked over to Quinn while Nomen Karr was being attended to, "Anything serious?"

Quinn shook his head, "Maybe bruised, but it's nothing a few sessions of Kolto salve couldn't fix. You, on the other hand—" Quinn eyed the Sith up and down. She was covered with bruises, cuts, and a few deep gashes probably from the lightsaber. Her clothes were tattered and ripped and her usually coiffed bun had a few strands out of place. "It may take awhile for your injuries to fully heal, my lord."

Xy'liah deactivated her lightsabers and Quinn quickly stepped in to support her as she took a step toward a nearby chamber, "I need to sit…"

"We must tend to your injuries quickly," the Captain insisted as he helped her toward the chamber. "Don't worry about the Jedi. Baras' men will take care of him." He took her into the chamber and laid her down on a nearby bed. Quickly, he took out whatever supplies he had brought with him and went to work on her.

He tended to the deeper gashes first, butterflying them together and smothering it with Kolto salve before bandaging it all up. The Sith lay perfectly still while he worked on her, occasionally letting out a groan whenever he exerted too much pressure on a wound. Her eyes were closed as she tried to sneak in a small rest before the Jedi was up.

Next he turned his attention to the smaller wounds such as the bruises and cuts. She had them everywhere on her body. Quinn began rubbing them with more of the salve as he worked his way from her legs to her chest. When he reached her chest area, he hesitated for a few minutes before turning his head towards her, "My lord, I am going to need to take off your top to treat the underlying wounds."

She didn't say anything in return and Quinn slowly lowered his hands to her vest as he brought the zipper down slowly. It didn't take long before the two parts separated and Quinn could see the underlying garment. He felt his cheeks reddened as he slowly pushed the vest to the sides so that he had room to handle the wounds. She barely had any, except for a few scratches near her collarbone and a few bruises right underneath her breasts.

Quinn did his best to concentrate on the wounds though his blue eyes kept trying to wander toward the two mounds heaving up and down as the Sith breathed. Images from their time on Tatooine entered his mind and he felt a small shiver run down his body as he thought about their kiss. Their lustful, yet passionate kiss. He wanted to relive that. No matter how many times he reasoned and convinced himself not to, at the end of the day, he would find himself laying wide awake and thinking about her before drifting off to sleep.

Quinn shook his head, hoping to shake out the thought. _This is not the place or the time to think about it. _He had finished patching up the Sith just as the trooper from earlier came in.

"My lord," he said. Quinn instinctively straightened as Xy'liah slid the arm to her side and opened her eyes. She turned toward the voice and cocked a brow at a nervous looking Quinn before answering.

"What is it?"

"The Jedi is awake, my lord. What do you want us to do with him?"

"Bring him here."

"Yes." The trooper retreated.

Xy'liah sat up quickly and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She adjusted her top before zipping the vest back together as Quinn watched her. The Sith examined herself, twisting and turning her arms and torso before turning to Quinn, "Nice job."

"It's my duty, my lord," he replied as she pushed herself off the bed.

"Leave us when the Jedi gets here."

"I'll be talking to the head of the troops," said Quinn. "We need to plan the next stage should the Padawan arrive."


	11. Chapter 11

Jaesa Willsaam stared at the safe house from a distant and frowned. _How did it come to this?_ She wondered to herself as she mentally noted how many Imperial troopers was standing guard at the entrance. She didn't spot many and hadn't expected the security to be so lax. She actually expected to be in for the fight of her life.

Her hand gripped the long hilt of her lightsaber as she thought of a plan to infiltrate the safe house. Moments ago, she felt a disturbance in the Force; her master was screaming out in pain and agony that had Jaesa cringing even though she was far away.

_I can't let this continue, _she had said to herself before deciding to travel to Hutta. For the past few months of her life, she had been in and out of hiding places like a wild prey running from its predator. This Sith, she had heard of, was very persistent in hunting her down. But for what? That's right. Because she, a young former handmaiden from Alderaan, was apparently a big threat to their Galactic Sith Empire. How very odd.

The young Jedi stepped down the cliff and walked toward the safe house, her hand upon her lightsaber just in case.

The troopers caught sight of her from a distant, but they only nodded and went about their scouting duty. Jaesa cocked an eyebrow at the odd behavior from the enemy. Were they under orders not to attack her? If that was the case, this will surely change whatever plan she was desperately trying to devise in her mind.

She walked and stopped at the front door. The trooper there whispered something into his headset before stepping aside and gesturing for her to walk through.

_How very strange, _she thought as she stepped foot within. She continued walking until she came to the clearing and overheard voices in the adjacent chambers.

"ARGH! Torture all you'd like Sith. The pain only fills me with more hate. More rage. You…I'm going to kill you. You and your pathetic master are dead—you hear me? DEAD!" came her master's voice. So he was being tortured? The Sith was indeed as evil as they say.

"So the true Nomen Karr shows his face," said another. A female one. One that Jaesa could only guessed to be the Sith in charge.

"My lord, the Padawan has arrived. She looked rather unnerved," another voice said.

"Finally! Make room for our guest of honor!"

Jaesa frowned at the Sith's sarcastic humor. Was this all some kind of sick joke to her? Jaesa clenched her fists and stepped into the chamber, "SITH!"

A young woman and man turned around at her sudden appearance.

"Your men outside let me pass, so I assumed I'm expected. Seize your sadistic attacks on my master now!" Her demanding voice was filled with anger, but yet nervous and fearful.

"Jaesa, no! I told you to stay put! How dare you defy me!" her master shouted at her.

"I've been waiting for this for a very long time," said Xy'liah. "You have no idea what a pain it was to track you down."

"My sacrifice for nothing! Stupid child! For all your powers, you have understood nothing!" her master continued shouting.

Jaesa turned toward him to find a man she could barely recognize. He looked like the Nomen Karr she knew, but she knew he wasn't. There was something different about him. His eyes were filled with hatred and anger and his skin was a very ghostly pale color. Not to mention the young Padawan sensed a great darkness coming from within him. She cringed at the sight of him, "What have you done to him, Sith? Has this been inside of him all along? No, this can't be. No one can hide such darkness. Somehow you turned him mad!"

"I only exposed what was lurking inside," the Sith said calmly. She crossed her arms and watched as Jaesa continued examining her master.

"Is that what you called what you've been doing? You spared Master Yonlach on Tatooine, but you killed my parents! Your actions do not make any sense."

"I was getting very annoyed and bored having to chase you around," the Sith yawned mockingly and Jaesa felt the heat rise within her.

"Now I felt Master Karr slipping toward death…but you saved him…and tortured him."

"Like I said, this whole chase has been quite tiring on me."

"You're a very strange Sith. Your actions belie your station. Was it real or was it all a trick to get me to lower my guard?"

"Aren't you supposed to know the answer to that?"

"Use your power, Jaesa! Look into the Sith's heart and you will see!" shouted the master again.

"Look at me as long as you like. I have nothing to hide."

She hadn't expected the Sith to be so direct and obliging. Nothing was going as she expected. The young Jedi had walked into the safe house with only two options in mind: either the Sith was going kill her or try to seduce her to the darkside. This Sith, however, was doing neither. She was very direct in everything she said and Jaesa couldn't help, but feel a slight envy on how she was able to freely express herself.

"Very well, then," the Padawan clasped her hands together and lowered her head in concentration. Her eyes closed tightly as a small aura surrounded her. _Let's see how truthful this Sith is_. But what the Padawan ended up discovering confused her even more. "There is great contradiction within you. There is a great darkness within you: greed, anger, but there is light as well: mercy…justice. Your intentions are…not knowable."

The Sith shook her head, "Mercy? I think your powers a little off. If you want to learn something about me, all you have to do is ask."

"No, I can never be certain of the answer," said Jaesa. She looked at the Sith and again felt the heat rise within her. _How could she stand there so calm even after everything she had done? Does she not have any shame? No, of course not. She's Sith. Why should she?_ "You leave me no choice, but to engage."

"Yes, strike now, Jaesa! Take the Sith down!" edged on Nomen Karr.

"Defend yourself Sith!" The Padawan took out her double ended lightsaber and ignited it.

The Sith rolled her eyes and sighed at the challenge. Reluctantly she took out her lightsabers and ignited it.

Jaesa initiated the attack, but soon found her lightsaber locked in between the crimson sabers of her foe's. They locked gazes for a while; Jaesa determined not to let the Sith see through her. But despite her best attempt to put up a serious, but bland face, Jaesa found it quite hard to withhold her emotions when it came to the Sith. She narrowed her brown eyes at the amber eyes that seemd to be smiling at her, mocking her. _I'll show her! _And right after she thought that, Jaesa felt herself losing balance. Her eyes looked down to see the Sith knocking her over with just a slight stretch of her foot and then another push, but this time by the Force.

"UGH!" Jaesa landed on the cold, hard floor with a _thump! _She pushed herself up, shaking her head to recover. But before she was fully standing up, she felt the Sith tackling her, knocking her back further a few feet.

Jaesa quickly covered after the second knock down, using the Force to break her fall. She raised her long yellow lightsaber and swung it at the incoming Sith, who stepped back to avoid the attack. For a minute or two, they danced with their lightsabers with Jaesa striking the Sith multiple times. She smiled. _This doesn't seem so bad. _At least she was able to land an attack or two, but she couldn't help, but feel like the Sith was holding back on purpose. And she didn't like how closely the amber eyes seemed to be following her whenever she would attack. It was as if she was observing Jaesa, testing her.

Another lockdown with the lightsabers, but this time Jaesa had the edge, pressing the yellow lightsaber down toward the Sith. Before the yellow saber could touch the Sith, however, Jaesa felt her body being lifted up and over the Sith's. Jaesa allowed the movement, flipping over the Sith and twisting her body halfway so that she landed facing her foe.

She lunged at the Sith, who fell back voluntarily. As the Jedi fell on top of her, her legs caught the Padawan's chest and with a smirk and a powerful kick, she sent Jaesa flying once again across the small chambers.

Jaesa fell face first onto the ground, rolling a bit at the impact of the kick. She slowly pushed herself up as she felt the energy slipping away from her. Sweats ran down the side of her forehead and she was panting. She looked up at the Sith as she ran toward her. The Sith was barely breaking a sweat! She had been playing her all along! Jaesa felt her face burned red of embarrassment. How stupid was she! Here, she thought she had a chance of defeating this powerful foe, only to find out she had been toyed with the whole entire time.

Jaesa felt her heart sank as the Sith rushed at her with her lightsabers in hand. This was it. Her demise and so soon within her career.

Xy'liah swung her lightsabers up and brought it down an inch away from Jaesa's face. The young girl's eyes widened as she saw the burning crimson blades before her. She quickly pulled her face away, standing up straight.

"Argh! It's so frustrating! Why can't I defeat you! Was it all a lie? Everything?" Jaesa eyed her former master as the Imperial troopers escorted him toward the door. "Master Karr told me the light side was stronger; that that was the reason why I could see through the façade of everything dark. Clearly the dark side is stronger." Her eyes narrowed at the master, hoping for some kind of explanation.

"You haven't completed your training yet Jaesa! Once you commune with the Force, you will be stronger!" he shouted back.

"You're a master of the light side, yet I easily defeated you," pointed out the Sith.

"All my life, I've put up with deceit and denial. I thought the Jedi would be different," Jaesa turned her eyes to meet the Sith before her. "You've shown me otherwise. You exposed Master Karr for what he really is. It is your power that shows their true nature. The fear you inspire forces truth to the surface. I want that."

"You'll be my apprentice and I will teach you the ways of the dark side."

The offer, rather order, came quickly and out of the blue. Never had she expected to be taken in by the Sith or even spared. Her eyes widened at the statement as the expression on her face revealed her speechless. But the Sith made no comment nor moves as she waited for the young Padawan to answer.

"I am…honored, my lord," Jaesa said, bowing her head. "Alas, I feel a sense of purpose. Something I can count on. What do you wish of me and what should we do with Master Karr?"

"Your first act in my charge is to kill your former Master."

Again the brown eyes widened at the command, "You want me to…kill him? I'm…conflicted about this."

"Think of it this way, it's either you kill him or I send him to Baras."

"Baras? Isn't that a death sentence?"

The young woman shrugged, "If you kill him, you would save him from a lot of pain and torture. Think of it as a mercy act for your old master."

"What you say makes sense. I'm actually excited at the prospect of killing him!" the young girl turned toward Xy'liah with a hint of darkness in her eyes as she gave the Sith a childish grin.

"No, Jaesa! All my work…my sacrifice…has been for naught!"

"Don't worry, Master Karr. You existed to deliver me to my true calling," Jaesa ignited her lightsaber and with one quick, smooth move, striked her former master down. As she watched him fall to the ground, relief as well as excitement overcame her. She had never killed anyone before and she wasn't sure she would have liked it, but it wasn't as bad as she thought. She turned toward the Sith to see a look of satifaction upon her face. She smiled proudly. "It is done, my lord. Master Karr is no more."

"This is a glorious day. Master Karr is no more and the dark side is strengthened by your fall, Jaesa," the Sith said as Jaesa came to her side. She had a smile upon her face and Jaesa sensed it to be genuine. For once, she did things right and it was by her way, not some old ancient code.

"I feel your satisfaction. It…warms me. I look forward to learning your ways, my lord. And I will help you in any way I am able," the young girl gave a bow to the older Sith. Something told her that she soon will reach her greatest potential.

* * *

><p>"Apprentice, I have received reports saying that you subdued Karr, but I have no update beyond that. What has transpired? Where is Nomen Karr?" demanded the dark lord.<p>

"What happened to him is inconsequestial," Xy'liah replied.

"That is true. It was the girl that poses the threat," Baras turned toward the young girl, standing next to his apprentice. "I see you have a new passenger. Jaesa Willsaam, I presume."

"Jaesa, my master Darth Baras," introduced Xy'liah.

"My lord." The young girl lowered her head and bowed at the holo image.

"I sense her devotion to you, apprentice. However did you manage that?"

Xy'liah gave her master a proud grin, "I can be very persuasive."

"Marvelous, apprentice. Simply marvelous. There is no denying you are a true master of the dark side now. Only the most accomplished among us are named lords among Sith. You have more than earned that distinction. I hereby confer the title of Sith Lord upon you."

"Such distinction means nothing to me. Everyone already calls me Lord anyways."

"I see. There is a considerable stipend bequeathed to those who attain rank in my service. Should I forego your reward then? My lord?"

The young woman's ears perked at the statement, "Lord, hm? I'm beginning to like the sound of that."

"I thought so. Nice to see your stubborn streak isn't immune to good sense. Now celebrate as you see fit and then return here to me on Dromund Kaas. I have great plans for us." The image disappeared and for once, the young Sith Lord was not left annoyed or angry. She turned toward her waiting crew at the table to their right and walked over to join them with Jaesa by her side.

"Wow, a lord. I'm impressed," said Vette.

"Congratulations, my lord," Quinn said.

"You both been a great help," the Sith said as both her companions smiled at the compliment.

"Service is its own reward."

"Yeah, what he said. I already prepared Jaesa's quarters. I'll go ahead and show her to them," offered Vette.

"Fine, but make it quick and resume your duties," the Sith Lord replied.

"Aww, but we were going to stay up gossiping," Vette gave Xy'liah a mock sad face before turning toward Jaesa. "C'mon, Jaesa, follow me."

"Whenever you need me, my lord. Whatever your order, I will be ready," the young girl said.

"Make this ship your home."

"You are so very gracious," the young girl bowed and turned around to follow the twi'lek toward the crew's quarters in the opposite direction.

"So, my lord, now you have the girl. A victory I dare say, even Baras failed to anticipate. You've become a Sith Lord and your power base is growing. Where are your sights set now?" Quinn asked. He watched the Sith as she smiled upon the realization of her newly found resource of powers.

"Spreading my fear and power to every inch of this galaxy!"

"If my talents could be of help, I hope you will utilize them. I leave you to enjoy this achievement." The young Captain bowed and turned to head for his usual post, leaving Xy'liah standing alone, smiling proudly of what she had just accomplished.


	12. Chapter 12

Quinn opened his eyes as sweat raced down the sides of his forehead. He quickly sat up as the images of last night's dreams came rushing back at him. It was the same dream that has haunted the young Captain every night ever since his departure from Balmorra, ever since a certain young Sith Lord set foot into his office.

Quinn sighed as he rushed one hand through his damp black hair and then onto the back of his neck, rubbing it a little. His eyes shot around the room at the unusually quiet sound. To his surprise, both of his crewmates' beds were empty. To this the Captain raised a quizzical brow. Just how long had he been asleep for?

The Captain swung his legs over the side of his bunk and slowly stood up. Grabbing his towel nearby, he headed for the washroom.

* * *

><p>Vette watched as the two Sith rushed at each other from afar. Each was carrying their newly acquired training saber that she, herself, had to go on an errand to get. Now that Xy'liah has an apprentice, the Sith Lord had made it clear that training was to be apart of their everyday routine and that <em>everyone <em>was to be participate.

Vette eyed the cargo's room entrance. Of course today, there was one exception. Vette and Jaesa both woke up early at the Sith Lord's command, but their Captain, however, seemed to be in a deep slumber that even the sound of two girls getting ready didn't wake him.

"I don't care about Quinn. I'm more concerned with you," said Xy'liah when Jaesa asked about Quinn.

Vette looked at her master curiously as she sat atop the cargo boxes within the room. Ever since their mission on Tatooine, she had become quite unpleasant toward Quinn. Her friendly nature turned into a cold one and for once, Vette felt bad for the Captain. Maybe he had done something on Tatooine to get on the Sith's bad side? Whatever it was, it had turned her usual laid back Sith Lord into someone like Darth Baras himself.

"Jaesa! You must allow your feelings to fuel you!" yelled the Sith Lord to her apprentice. Vette looked over toward the young girl, who had a frustrated look upon her face. She seemed to get quite frustrated easily whenever she couldn't get something down right away or when she could not understand something. "If you hold back, you'll never defeat me! Remember, your emotions are your source of power!"

Vette and Xy'liah watched as Jaesa tried to take her master's advice, concentrating on the Force with the help of her emotions. Once Xy'liah felt like she concentrated enough, the Sith Lord rushed at her apprentice once more.

* * *

><p>Quinn's muscles relaxed as the hot jet of water hit him softly. He took a few minutes to enjoy the warmth before proceeding to start his usual shower routine.<p>

Images of Xy'liah played in and out of his head as he went about his routine. No matter how hard the Captain tried to push her out, the Sith always came running back to him. His mind wandered to the bright yellow amber eyes that never failed to quicken his pulse whenever they gazed upon him. They were so malicious, yet mysterious and beautiful. It was an odd combo, yet exotic; they were the most unusual eyes Quinn had ever seen in his life, especially for one that is human.

Quinn stopped in the midst of his tracks, his eyes widened. He had almost washed his face with shampoo. Nowadays, his body and mind seemed to function separately. It was as if he was a droid. He would noticed his body going about his usual routine and business as his mind wandered and daydreamed about the Sith Lord. Every so often, his mind would come back in time to correct his body just as it was beginning to steer off course like how he did just then.

It was quite difficult trying to focus on his day to day operations with his mind in the state that it was. With each passing day, it seemed his mind became more and more absorbed in his fantasy of the Sith Lord and more distant from reality. This was something he needed to correct and fast before it took over him completely, rendering him useless to the Empire. He had thought distancing himself away from her would do the trick, but it only worsened. _Get ahold of yourself, Malavai! _He said to himself. _How are you ever going to achieve your goals if you cannot control your own mind? _

Quinn stepped out of the shower and back into the crew's quarters with nothing, but the towel draped around him. He reached for his small wardrobe and opened the metallic doors. He stood there awhile, studying the various clothes he had neatly pressed and lined up according to use. Instinctively he reached for his Imperial uniform. It was his default choice whenever he wasn't in the fields. His hand rested upon the hangar before moving the uniform aside and reaching for something more casual.

It was the only casual set he had and even then, it was issued to him during his training days as an Imperial officer. He barely wore this outfit and wondered why he hadn't thrown it out a long time ago, but today seemed the most appropriate out of all days. After all, they were on a short mini vacation and Xy'liah had made it clear the previous night that they were duty free for a couple weeks before heading back to rendezvous with the Dark Lord on Dromund Kaas.

_Duty free_. Quinn wasn't sure he liked the sound of that when the Sith Lord announced it last night. They were strange words to him and the concept even stranger. What was he supposed to do off duty? He couldn't think of anything that didn't involve working and this was only day one of the fourteen days they were off. It was the longest break Quinn had since he joined the Empire.

Laughter roared from down the corridor as Quinn dressed himself. His curiosity peaked at the sound. It was a mixture of all three women aboard the ship and the laughter continued for some time.

Quinn quickly cleaned up after himself before setting out to follow the sound.

His ears led him down the corridor and toward the cargo bay. He turned into the entrance and stopped at the sight. The first thing he saw was Vette sitting atop a few of the cargo boxes stacked on each other. She was sitting cross-legged while shouting comments to down below.

His eyes trailed down from Vette to Jaesa, who was sweating as she caught her breath, training saber in hand. His eyes then went to the last person in the room, the closest one to him. He eyed her as she too was busy catching her breath. She was wearing her usual black boots with loose black pants tucked into them. Her top was nothing, but a black bra to cover her essentials. Her hair was in the usual bun and she too was equipped with a training blade.

Vette caught sight of him first, "Look who is finally awake! Hi, Captain Sleepyhead! Care to join us in our training session for today?"

Jaesa and Xy'liah turned toward Quinn standing at the entrance.

"My lord, I wasn't aware of the training session today. I apologize for oversleeping," Quinn quickly began, but Xy'liah only shook her head.

"It's vacation after all, Quinn. You can sleep in once in a while. Besides I'm more concerned with training my apprentice over here."

"Jaesa hasn't found a way to beat Lord Xy'liah yet!" Vette exclaimed. "If you were here earlier, we could've had a bet going."

"I never knew that the Jedi withheld so much from me," said Jaesa. "I feel as if I'm learning everything all over again." She frowned at her statement as she shot her master a look.

"Don't worry, Jaesa. We still have time," Xy'liah said. "Now I feel like I'm on a winning streak. Anyone else wanna try their luck against me?" She eyed the twi'lek and Quinn.

"Why don't you try, Captain?" Vette suggested. "You're more rested than I am. I need to warm up a bit."

"Great, let's go, Quinn," said Xy'liah turning back and walking toward their training space.

Jaesa came forward and handed Quinn the training saber before giving the Captain a small smile, "Good luck." She turned and went to join Vette atop the cargo boxes.

Quinn looked down at the training saber in his hand, wondering exactly what he had gotten himself into. There was no way he could defeat her, especially with his state of mind. He gripped the training saber and walked to meet Xy'liah at the clearing. Slowly he got into position from what he remembered at his Imperial training.

"I'll give you three tries, Quinn! It's simple! Try and disarm me and maybe I'll reward you with an extra day off when we land on Dromund Kaas!" she shouted from across the room.

"Ready!" shouted Vette. "Begin!"

Without thinking, Quinn rushed at Xy'liah and striked at her. She blocked it with ease and disarmed him. The bout ended quickly and Quinn found himself with a training blade pointed at his chest. He turned to see his own training blade a few feet from him.

"You disappoint me, Quinn," said Xy'liah reaching for Quinn's training saber with her free hand. The saber flew to her hand and she handed the weapon back to Quinn, who took it reluctantly. "I would expect a Captain in the Imperial Army to last longer than that. You have two more tries." She lowered her weapon and turned to walk back to her beginning origin.

Quinn did the same, his mind replaying what had happened in his head. He should've known better. He had observed her, studied her style and habits during all the time he was with her. He should've been able to calculate and predict her every move.

"Ready?" Xy'liah called out.

Quinn nodded as Jaesa called out for the fight to start. This time, Quinn waited for the Sith Lord to advance to him. It took awhile though with Xy'liah staying at her end and him staying at his.

"What is this, a staring match?" Vette called out. "Do something!"

Quinn inched closer to the Sith Lord as he locked gazes with her. She smiled at him as she did the same, their training sabers almost touching.

"What's the matter, Quinn?" she taunted. "Did the last match scare you?"

"Lady's first, my lord," he replied, gripping the training saber harder as they began to slowly encircle each other.

"Very well then," said Xy'liah and she quickly jabbed her saber toward Quinn, who had to duck to avoid it.

He stepped away from the Sith, giving a good distant between them. Xy'liah began attacking fast, jabbing and striking in all directions. Quinn found himself being forced back as he defended the attacks. _Come on, Malavai! You have to think! THINK! _

Their sabers crossed each other and Quinn had to use a considerable amount of strength to keep the Sith Lord from pushing him over. They locked gazes once again and Quinn could see the smirk on Xy'liah's face.

"Much better, Captain," she whispered between them. "But you'll have to do better than that."

Quinn quickly stepped to the side just as Xy'liah summoned more power for the push. The move resulted in her almost falling to the ground as she stumbled clumsily, trying to catch her balance.

The Sith turned around, "Now we're talking, Captain!" She twirled the saber in her hands before rushing at him again.

This time, Quinn felt his mind go into focus. He started to calculate the various attacks the Sith was likely to pull and the counterattacks he would use against them.

Xy'liah came at Quinn full force, striking down at the Captain. He jumped out of the way leaving Xy'liah to rush at nothing, but air. This time Xy'liah didn't lose balance. She quickly swung her foot in a high roundhouse kick, turning to see the Captain ducking it just in time. He quickly used his own foot to swipe her off her feet. The Sith Lord landed on the ground with a _thud!_ Her saber fell from her hand during the fall.

"Ugh," the Sith Lord used her arms to try and push herself into a sitting position, but was stopped by the end of a training blade pointed at her. She looked up to see Quinn, towering over her. His mouth was curled upwards in a proud, victorious smile.

"He…did it!" cried out Jaesa, astonished. "And he didn't even seem to have any difficulty with it or anything!"

Xy'liah eyed her apprentice as the young girl watched the Captain in awe, "Call it luck. I might've let my guard down since I defeated him so easily the first time."

"Did you really, my lord?" Quinn asked. The amber eyes turned back toward his. "What a disappointment. I was rather hoping you gave it your all." He pulled the training saber back and offered her a hand up. She took it, standing up and dusting herself off.

Vette and Jaesa came rushing at them as the Sith Lord picked up her training saber. Their eyes were filled with awe and newly found admiration for the Captain.

"Perhaps you can teach me a few tricks or two," Jaesa said.

"There is no trick. My time with Lord Xy'liah has allowed me to become acquainted with her style. That was how I was able to predict most of her moves."

Xy'liah snorted and walked away, "Perhaps you should've focused more on the missions than studying me."

Quinn frowned, sensing hostility in her voice. He watched her throw the saber back into the crate and walked out of the room, signaling the end of today's training session.

* * *

><p>"This is so frustrating. I feel like I haven't learned anything from my time with the Jedi," said Jaesa as Vette patched her up. The two girls were resting in the medic bay while Xy'liah and Quinn went to take care of other businesses.<p>

"You're a fast learner, aren't you? I'm sure you'll be able to pick up whatever it is you Sith study." Vette wrapped the bandage one last time around Jaesa's wrist. "There you go. Take it easy now."

Jaesa twirled her wrist and examined the twi'lek's work, "Thank you. We should get back. I'm sure Master Xy'liah has something in store for us."

The two girls walked out the medic bay to find Xy'liah and Quinn standing in front of the holoterminal, talking.

"I must implore high command to do something about him," the Captain said.

"I need this off your plate, Captain. As quickly as possible."

"Absolutely, my lord." The Captain bowed and headed off toward the crew's quarters, quickly eyeing the approaching the girls.

Xy'liah turned as Jaesa and Vette joined her, "Let's get back to training."


	13. Chapter 13

Jaesa waited outside her master's chambers. She was called awhile ago by the young Sith Lord for most likely more training lessons. The young girl was about to open the door when she heard another voice coming from the other side, an unfamiliar voice.

"So he easily disarmed you?"

"That's not the part that's bothering me; it was what he said afterwards. He _studied _and _observed _me while we were in battle! It's like I have some sick stalker following me!"

"Well, he has been with you for some time. It's not unusual for him to be familiar with your ways."

"And what if he is reporting them to Baras? I still don't trust him. No matter how many times he has proven himself. There is just something about him…"

"Do you honestly hate the man or is this some sort of defense mechanism to disguise your feelings for him?"

"What?"

"You're in denial, cousin. You may be able to read minds, but I'm adept at reading body language. And my guts say he's growing on you. Everything he does surprises you and you're becoming intrigued with him. I can see it in your expressions and hear it in your voice when you were telling me about your little duel. You didn't expect him to even be able to disarm you, but he did. You're bother by the fact that he's some scrawny, by the book, Imperial officer not some powerful Sith or Jedi."

"I don't know what you are babbling about."

The voice chuckled, "Oh, it's so obvious, Xy."

"I need to go."

There was a moment of silence before the door slid opened, "Come in, Jaesa. I know you're there."

Jaesa stepped back, startled, but she quickly regained her composure and stepped into her master's quarters. The young Sith was standing at the other end of her bed, looking down at a small holocommunicator, "You summoned me, Master?"

"I just wanted to know how you are adjusting to this. All of this." The amber eyes looked to Jaesa.

"I…I'm getting used to it. It's somewhat strange to me. Back with the Jedi, we always have rules and strict routines. Over here, I have so much freedom that I don't even know what to do with. It scares me sometimes when I think about it. All my life I was always told to suppress my emotions and opinions. The Jedi had held me back quite a lot."

"Get used to it. I told you before your feelings are the key to gaining power. It helps you become stronger with the Force. Listen and watch me, and I guarantee you, you'll become just as powerful as me someday. Just what do you think our relationship should be like?"

Jaesa raised her brow at the question. Was this a trick question? "You are my master and I am your student. You teach me things and guide me through the ways. Is that not how it should be?"

"It should. But I also want you to be able to come and confide in me about anything. Anything at all. If you use your powers and see something amidst, come talk to me about it."

"Yes, Master."

"Is there anything you wish to say to me right now?"

Jaesa bit her lips, hesitating for a second. There were so many things on her mind, she wouldn't know where to begin, "Well, there is something. It's about Vette."

"What about her?"

"Well…it's just that...are you sure we can trust her, Master? She seemed so…soft."

"You don't need special powers to see that," Xy'liah smiled. "But I have known Vette for a while now. She had many chances to betray me, but didn't. Perhaps she's waiting for the right time, I'm not sure, but you let me deal with her. Now, I say we take this opportunity to train some more before the other two come back."

Jaesa bowed, "Yes, Master." She walked out of the chambers as the ship's droid 2V-R8 walked across her path, happily humming a small tune to himself. He caught sight of her and immediately bowed, "Mistress Jaesa, is there anything I can do for you? I am on my way to cleaning the engine room."

Jaesa shook her head, "No, R8. Do you know when Vette and Captain Quinn are returning?"

"Ah, well Mistress Vette said she will be gone a few days. She didn't tell me where she was going though. And Master Quinn will also be gone for a few days. He is en route as we speak to meet up with an old military friend of his."

"Thanks, R8."

"If there is anything you need at all, please do not hesitate to call me." The droid gave a short bow before continuing his way down the hall to the engine room.

Jaesa watched as the droid left and heard the footsteps of her master coming to her side. She turned toward the older Sith.

"Let's get going," Xy'liah said, leading Jaesa toward their cargo/training room.

Jaesa followed her master down the hall. A quick replay of everything that happened entered her head. How ironic it was for her to be here. She remembered a year ago when Nomen Karr had discovered her secret power during one of his trips to Alderaan. His eyes nearly budged out of his head in astonishment. How could a young girl possess so much raw power, she remembered him saying. And to test her even further, he had enlisted her help in his mission at the time.

It was one of the proudest moments in Jaesa's life when she heard about her potential of being a Jedi. Finally no more serving hypocritical nobles, no more trying to hide her power, no more living like a "freak". Her power was something special according to Nomen Karr and it could be use for the good of the galaxy.

He had offered the opportunity to join the Jedi right after their small adventure together and she had quickly accepted. She was desperate to leave her life as a lowly handmaiden behind. She knew she was meant for greater things. Living a life as a servant was such a waste of her potential.

The thoughts of her elderly parents entered her head and a feeling of sadness washed over her. They had been so sad when they heard of Nomen Karr's proposal. At that time, Jaesa couldn't care less what they thought. They had high hopes for her to marry one of the Organan nobles, so that they wouldn't have to live a life of servitude anymore. Jaesa had previously obliged. Her parents were getting old, particular her father. Age and time caught up with their frail, old bodies and it was a matter of time before they became useless as servants. Before that could happen, Jaesa had promised them that she would be married and their problems would go away in an instant.

Now they were dead, killed by her master. Jaesa looked at the older Sith as she continued following her. What was strange was that Jaesa beared no ill feelings toward her for her actions. She actually blamed her former master more for everything that had happened. It was not even a week since Jaesa had become Xy'liah's apprentice, but already the young girl felt as if she knew her master inside and out. Xy'liah was not a particularly hard person to figure out unlike Nomen Karr. She was actually pretty simple. She had little patience for time wasted dillydallying on irrelevant things and Jaesa couldn't help, but to think that if only she had confronted the Sith when all of this started, her parents would still be alive.

Perhaps what was most comforting to Jaesa was that Xy'liah was also from Alderaan. Born to two powerful Sith, she learned about the Force at an early age and quickly became an adept user. Vette had told her this the first night Jaesa came onboard. It was the twi'lek's way of making her feel comfortable. Jaesa never confirmed this with her master however and decided not to until their relationship was closer.

She admired the way the Sith Lord's two crewmates talked of her. From her words, they obviously held her in high esteem and had the highest respect for her. That was also comforting to know.

"Let's see what you learned from yesterday," Xy'liah said, piercing through Jaesa's thoughts. The Sith Lord tossed her young apprentice a training saber and walked over to take her usual position. "Now that it is just us two, you'll be able to concentrate more."

* * *

><p>Today's training lasted quite a long time before Xy'liah decided to call it quits. Sweat poured down Jaesa's face and soaked her garment as a result of the rigorous training, but she did not mind it one bit. She felt her power base grew immensely from that session and she could now better focus on the Force, even learning a new trick or two.<p>

Just as they were cleaning up and exiting the cargo bay, a new presence in the Force arisen. Jaesa looked up to see the ship's Captain, Malavai Quinn, walking toward them. He had somewhat of a displeased look upon his face as usual. Jaesa turned away to hide a small smile as he approached. She had to admit their Captain was a particularly handsome one. He even reminded her a bit of her Alderaanian fiancé with his dark hair and radiant blue eyes.

He hadn't said much to her since her arrival, only a small smile or greeting whenever they passed by each other. He mainly interacted with the Sith Lord and it was always about business.

"He's a straight up dull boring guy," Vette said when Jaesa had asked her about him. "He seems to think he's better than us just because he dons that uniform of his. Personally I think our Sith Lord would choose us over him if she had the chance. She didn't even want him with us as I remembered it. It was all so sudden and he somewhat invited himself along because he feels like he could "make more of a difference to the Empire" if he was with us. Honestly, I think it's just an excuse to leave that boring job of his behind."

Jaesa turned toward him again as he stopped short of them. Though she was forbidden by her master to use her power on anyone in the crew, she didn't sense anything hostile about him. Actually she sensed a deep level of devotion to their master. Everything he did proved his commitment to her including putting up with Xy'liah's sudden attitude change whenever he was near.

"You're back early, Captain," her master said. "Do you have news? How have your efforts with Imperial high command gone?"

Quinn shook his head, "Not well, my lord. I've gone up as high as the chain as I can. No one will confront Moff Broysc. He's too powerful and entrenched. He will serve until he's killed or willingly step down. And he will never willingly step down. It seems clear. I must deal with Broysc myself. Once and for all."

"Nice to know you're ready to do what needs to be done. This is your calling, Quinn. Get to it."

"Actually, my lord, if you don't mind, there is something else I wished to discuss with you."

Xy'liah and Jaesa turned their head toward the Captain and waited for him to speak.

"Um…in private," he added after seeing that the Sith Lord would not budge from her spot.

Xy'liah gave the rest of the sabers to Jaesa, "I'll be back."

Jaesa took the sabers and watched as her master followed Quinn out the room. She wondered what exactly had been so urgent that the Captain sacrificed the rest of his vacation for.

* * *

><p>"Let's talk in the conference room then," said Xy'liah.<p>

Quinn stopped and turned around, "As you wish." He followed the young Sith Lord into the room and watched her take a seat. He stood where he was, waiting for her to give him permission to speak.

"What do you have to say to me, Captain?" she asked him as she folded her legs, her head held up by the left hand resting upon the table.

"I came back early because there was something urgent that I needed to speak to you about," the Captain began.

"I figured that much. So what is it?"

"I…" Quinn stopped. He had rehearsed this a million times on his way back to the ship. Why couldn't he just say it? His blue eyes looked at Xy'liah as her impatient look overcame her. She was no longer leaning into her left palm, but sitting up straight awaiting the Captain's words. It didn't help either that her left fingers were now drumming the table, another sign of her patience wearing thin.

Quinn took a deep breath and cleared his throat, "My lord, thank you for your attention."

Xy'liah raised an eyebrow at him.

"I must officially ask to be reassigned."

The Sith didn't rush to say anything back, but continued to stare at him through those amber eyes of hers. She narrowed them as she stared and Quinn felt a small sweat bead running down his forehead. He couldn't tell what she was thinking by her facial expression and wished her to hurry up. This small wait was torturing him, but then again, it was the Sith Lord's style.

A minute later, her fingers stopped drumming and she opened her mouth to speak, "Is this assignment too harrowing for you, Captain?"

"No, I thrive on harrowing," replied Quinn. "But I am forced to admit… I am compromised. Lately thoughts of you have begun to…distract me. My feelings affect my ability to concentrate. I cannot in good conscience continue to serve." He quickly braced himself for the next few minutes. Knowing his master, she would probably play on that weakness for awhile until she was bored. It was probably going to be the last time that she could.

As he waited for her response, Quinn thought back to his meeting with one of his military colleagues. It was unusual for the Captain to abandon his post for personal meetings, but Quinn thought it best to get out, distant himself, and clear his mind before returning.

His friend went by the name of Beau Waglyn, one of the people Quinn had spent much of his time with at the Imperial Academy. The two hated each other during their first meeting, but through trials-and being forced to work together-they had developed a mutual understanding and mutual respect for one another. Now Beau was a close friend, one of whose opinion Quinn greatly valued.

It wasn't long or particular hard for Beau to get Quinn to admit what was bothering him. He, in fact, laughed at the whole story to which Quinn frowned.

"You find it funny?" Quinn had asked him.

"Very," he replied. His green eyes twinkled with delight as he calmed down from his laughter. "Forgive me, but it's not everyday I hear a story of an Imperial officer falling in love with a Sith Lord. You sound like cross-starred lovers."

"I don't think she thinks of me in that way…" Quinn eyed Beau. "Does she?"

"Do you really want my advice on this?"

"It's why I'm here."

"One word: reassignment."

"Re…assignment?" Quinn watched as Beau nodded, his jet black hair following his motion.

"It's the only way if you ever hope to achieve what you set out to do. You'll be doing her a favor and you as well. In the end, you get what you originally wanted and she...well, at least when she gets killed in action, you won't be able to blame yourself for it. Or if she lives, she'll probably marry some snobby, powerful Sith and together they'll make tons of babies and take over the galaxy!"

Quinn frowned at his friend's sense of humor.

"I'm kidding!" Beau said. "But seriously, I'm not. It is the only way and you know that too. You just need to muster up the courage and go through with it."

It took Quinn the whole ship ride here to muster up enough courage, but he was here and now he awaited her answer.

She folded her arms at the statement, "If you insist on reassignment, it'll be a shame, but I'll grant it." She got up from her chair. "We can have it official before I have to meet Baras on Dromund Kaas."

She walked toward the exit, past a dumfounded Quinn. Was she really going to let him go that easily? Were her feelings for him truly nonexistent? He thought he would be relieved to hear her grant his request, but somehow he found himself to be very disappointed. Quinn frowned as he watched her about to walk out of the room-and out of his life. He couldn't allow that to happen. He couldn't. Just like he couldn't stop from torturing himself with thoughts of her day by day no matter what he did.

_If I leave, who would be there to keep her on track whenever she gets distracted from her mission? _And she _did _get distracted too often and too easily. He couldn't let that happen. She would fall into Baras' bad grace and who knew what would happen then? Knowing the Dark Lord, he would probably have her executed for he had many apprentices to spare. _If I stay, she lives._ And with that logic in mind, Quinn shouted for Xy'liah before she touched the door frame, "NO!"

Xy'liah stopped and turned to see the young Captain shaking his head in disapproval.

"I'm an idiot!" he shouted to himself. His blue eyes looked to hers as she stood there, somewhat confused. "Permission to kiss you, my lord?"

"Wh-" But before Xy'liah could finish her word, the Captain grabbed her arms and pulled her toward him. His lips landed perfectly on hers. The young Sith stood speechless for a moment as Quinn's hands released her arms and travelled to her back, tightening his grip around her. Inside her mind, a million red flags went off and thoughts of her cousin's words rushed in and out. She contemplated pushing the Captain back, but found her body unable to follow through. Slowly she closed her eyes and returned the kiss as she relaxed some tensed muscles.

His scent rushed into her nose as she inhaled, causing the Sith to express a shiver. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer as their kiss deepened. She smiled against his lips as she felt him hug her tighter. There was something about the way he held her that made her feel so…secured, which was ironic considering the fact that she was the one that protected him. Yet whenever he held her, she felt a certain kind of security even when they were on Tatooine. It was the kind of security she longed for whenever Baras had tasked her with a mission so tedious and frustrating or whenever she would lay upon her bed at night unsure what was going to happen the very next day.

Being in FirmRess' arms didn't even compare to the Captain's. _Please don't hate me, cousin. I'm still human after all. _And humans needed that companionship.

Quinn broke off the kiss as he rested his forehead against Xy'liah's, "We should stop before I'm unable to contain myself."

Xy'liah silently nodded, unsure of what to say or do.

The Captain slowly pushed the Sith away and looked down upon her, "Now more than just duty and honor will be driving my work." He smiled at her as she looked up at him with those bright amber eyes of hers.

She smiled back as she regained her composure, "That was just a small taste. There's more to come."

"I'm counting on it." The Captain's lips curled upward into a wider smile at the thought.

Her eyes narrowed at the Captain as she regained her earlier expression. Her tone of voice switched back to business as she stepped back from him, "Now get going. You have a Moff to deal with."

"I'm ready, my lord," said Quinn. He gave her a small salute before walking off toward the Fury's exit.

* * *

><p>Jaesa looked up at the beeping red light, alerting that a ship is attempting to attach itself to the Fury. She went back to her task as Vette handed her more tools.<p>

Ever since Vette returned from her journey, she had brought back materials and metals that she found to be useful in their journey. Now the three ladies were busy inspecting the metals and materials to make sure it was up to their standards.

"This is what makes us money should we ever run out of any," said Vette as she flattened out a metal.

A few minutes later, Jaesa heard the deep voice of the Captain's followed by a more muffled sound. The former Jedi turned toward the incoming Captain to see him dragging an older man besides him. Once he reached where she and her master was, he literally threw the old man down in front of the Sith Lord.

"What in the galaxies is going on?" cried out Vette as her violet eyes stared down at the old man in shocked.

Jaesa's brow lifted in confusion. The older man was tied at the hands and his mouth was muffled by a white cloth. She watched as the old man tried to regain his balance and stand as the Captain spoke.

"My lord I've returned. I found Moff Broysc on a pleasure barge. He was on R & R while countless battles are raging. Despicable. I abducted him and brought him here to present to you." He grabbed at the white cloth from the Moff's mouth and turned him toward the Sith.  
>"Scab! Traitor! You, Sith! I commandeer your ship, your crew. I commandeer you! Mine now!" yelled the old man. His wrinkled face turned a deep shade of red which greatly contrasted the white of his beard and hair.<p>

"Why did the Captain bring a lunatic onboard?" asked Vette, but her question went unheard.

"Do you see who has bettered you? The man you wronged has you dead to rights now," said Xy'liah.

"No. Never. Not possible. I shunned him. I exiled him. He was to waste away. You are my men now! I command you all! Kill! Kill yourself! I have spoken!"

"He's totally out of it," said Jaesa. "Poor fellow."

The three ladies watched as the old man shouted more profanity at them. He was quite a character, but then they noticed the Captain in the back. With each passing second, the Captain's face grew colder and redder. His fists tightened into balls as his blue eyes followed the old man about.

"My lord, I've resisted all along, but this is personal! Permission to execute the Moff?" yelled out Quinn after some time.

"What? Whoa!" cried out Vette. "Here? Should he not be taken to a hospital or institution or something?"

"If he is no longer of use to the Empire, then his existence is inconsequestial," said Jaesa coldly as the twi'lek turned to her in shock. The young girl looked to her master to see an approving smile.

"By all means, the kill should be yours," said Xy'liah, turning back to Quinn, whose hand was already on his blaster.

"As you command."

"You cannot kill me! You are nothing! I am a Moff!" cried out the old man as he backed away from the Captain.

"Not anymore!" Quinn took out his blaster and aimed it at the Moff.

"No scabs! All scabs!" yelled the Moff.

All eyes turned toward the Captain as he stood there, aiming at the Moff's head. His finger rested on the trigger as his blue eyes stared at the Moff. The same thought was going through everyone's head. Was he really going to do it? A few minutes passed before the Captain actually pulled the trigger.

The Moff's body hit the floor hard as blood came oozing out of him. His eyes still opened in fear.

The Captain stepped over the body as Vette turned away in digust. There was sense of relief that overcame him as he stood, watching the Moff's dead body. Finally, it was all over. Quinn had successful taken out one more obstacle that stood in his way to greatness. The man that had dedicated his life to ruining his was no more and he could finally move forward in his career without fear.

"He stinks!" cried out Vette, pinching her nose as she peeked out from behind Jaesa.

"Clean this mess up. I don't want a spot of it on my ship," said Xy'liah as she stepped over the Moff's body. She gave him a quick examination before turning to the Captain. "Well done, Captain." She left, walking toward the bridge, leaving Quinn and the two girls alone.

"Thanks, my lord," the girls heard the Captain said sometime after Xy'liah left. He stood there for a long while as what happened slowly hit him.

"I need to go lie down," said Vette as she headed for her quarters.

"I'll go with you," said Jaesa, hurriedly following Vette.

* * *

><p>An hour later, Quinn stepped onto the bridge to find the Sith sitting in the pilot's chair. Her nimble fingers were upon the controls and she was gently steering Fury in random directions. He took a seat in the co-pilot's chair and turned toward his lord, "The body has been disposed of, my lord. No more of Moff Broysc's men will have to endure his whims and incompetence. Thank you for seeing this through."<p>

"You earned it," was all she said as continued guiding Fury.

"The Empire is better off now."


	14. Chapter 14

Warning: There will be some adult content in this one. If that is not your thing, please skip!

* * *

><p>It's been days since the incident with Moff Broysc and Quinn still found it quite hard to believe that the Moff was truly gone. It all happened so quickly that he hadn't even had time to sit down and let the events sink in. The event had taken over his mind completely and at this point, he was quite glad of the vacation. He probably wouldn't have been able to fully focus and function had he been on duty.<p>

Quinn leaned back in the pilot's chair as he listened to reports of the incidents. His eyes closed as he allowed the reports to relax his excited mind. Their fourteen days of vacation will soon come to an end tomorrow and Quinn had never been more eager to return to work. Most of the two weeks drove him crazy up until the Moff's demise. He couldn't think of a better way to ending his vacation. In a way, Quinn felt as if he was starting over anew. No more past coming to haunt him; there was only the future and it was as bright as the stars.

Thoughts of Xy'liah inevitably entered his head. She was the one he was indebted to. She had allowed for him to pursue this and even pushed him a bit. Her guidance and advice have released his inner being, the one buried deep within him after all those years of languishing.

Before Balmorra, Quinn was the talk of the galaxy. Everyone wanted to be his friend and every Moff wanted him under their command. His works and contributions were heard from every angle of the galaxy. He was destined to become the youngest Moff ever in the history of the Imperial army, bringing in more results than other older men had within their lifetime. But as fate would have it, he was put under charge of one of the most ruthless Moffs in the army, Moff Broysc.

Pretty soon after that, his works and contributions streak came to an abrupt end. His name was fading fast. His advices were overheard and reports were overseen. Quinn thought he had hit rock bottom then. Here he was, filled with so many ideas and dreams in bettering the Empire, only to have them completely ignored by his superior officer. His potential was wasting away under Broysc and year after year, he could see his dreams slipping further and further away from his grasp.

But those dreams returned on Balmorra. Strange how he found his true calling while languishing on Balmorra, something he had thought to be his eternal punishment. In a way, he was thankful to Broysc. Had it not been for the Moff exiling him, he would never have met Xy'liah.

Ah, the Sith Lord. His Sith Lord. His very unusual and strange Sith Lord. Their last encounter entered his mind and he replayed the scene as he had remembered it, ending it with their kiss. It was that kiss that had given him motivation. A good luck kiss, Quinn had called it. He relaxed even further, the voices of the reports now blurred in with the background noises. He longed for that kiss nights aboard the Fury as he lay wide awake on his bunk. Her lips were so soft and delicious and the way her body pressed against his as she pulled him closer to her was intoxicating. He had wanted to lay her upon the conference table and take her right then and there, but his sense of honor and duty talked him out of it.

It was different now. This time, there would be nothing nagging at the back of his mind, nothing to deter his focus. Nothing at all. He felt free from all past obligations. It was a strange feeling, exciting but a bit overwhelming at the same time. He could finally move forward with his life and he intended on making the Sith Lord apart of it.

As if answering his wish, footsteps were heard coming toward the bridge. Quinn sat up and twirled in the chair to face the entrance. His lips smiled when he saw that it was her. She was wearing one of her old Sith's uniforms, black pants and a plain tunic.

Quickly, Quinn stood up as the Sith approached him, "My lord, I'm fielding in reports from across the Imperial forces. Among the men, there is a universal relief that Moff Broysc is no more."

"The rest of the Empire was passive. It sickens me."

"_I_ was guilty of that for a long time. I do not feel conflicted in the least. Not about anything." The Captain let out a deep breath as relief washed over him. It was true. He felt truly free. "Including you."

The Sith gave him an intrigued look as the Captain stepped closer to her, "I've held back long enough. Been too rigid, too inflexible. I won't suppress my feelings and desires any longer."

"You were too slow out of the gate, Quinn. Pursue me if you must."

The Captain furrowed his brows in confusion at the Sith's statement. It had only been a few days. How had she moved on so quickly? Was he wrong in thinking that the kiss meant something? He had felt a certain connection then or was it only one sided? He watched as the Sith waited for his response. She couldn't have forgotten so quickly. No, it was impossible. She was toying with him as she always had.

"Ha, I know you're only testing me," he responded with somewhat of a nervous and hopeful tone.

"Oh really?" said Xy'liah. She sounded quite surprised by his persistent manner. "But how can you be sure?"

"Come with me to my quarters. I'll show you how I feel."

"I'm not going anywhere," she said stubbornly, crossing her arms.

Quinn initially frowned at her response, but for some odd reason her words didn't discourage him as it would have in the past, "Alright then." He moved closer to the Sith Lord, who stepped back at his sudden advances. "I'll just have to show you right here." He gave her a mischievous smile as his hands reached out to cup her face and turned it slightly up toward his.

He could see how speechless she was by all of this and opened her mouth to speak, but Quinn quickly covered it before she had a chance to protest to anything.

The Captain showered her with kisses as he slowly steered her toward the closest wall, trapping her between the cold, hard metal and his body as she had done so many times to him before.

She had her hands against his chest and he felt a slight push, though it was not enough to make him disengage from his present activity. His hands travelled down to her hips and pushed them firmly against the wall as he shifted some of his weight onto her with one leg pushing in between hers. He smiled when he felt a slight moistness from that region.

She was returning the kiss now though it took her awhile and he made sure to slowly savor the moment before moving on.

After a while, his hands moved from her hips to the small, double-knotted cloth belt that tied her tunic together. He quickly untied the belt, sliding his hands inside her tunic. His cold hands came into contact with her waist and he felt her shiver a bit at the touch.

"I've been anticipating this for far too long," he whispered to her, taking a quick minute to catch his breath before continuing.

"Since Balmorra?" she managed to whisper back.

He chuckled a bit at her response and moved to her ear, "Not quite." He playfully bit down on her lobe as the Sith leaned her head to give him better access. Her breathing was becoming heavier now and he felt his length hardening, digging into her thigh, but he had no intention of rushing it. After all, he had waited a very long time for this and he was going to savor every single moment of it.

"You're such a little tease. Nights after your torture, I'd lay awake, just imagining your bare body—" He continued, trailing kisses down her exposed neck as his hands moved apart the tunic, exposing her breasts. He cupped them gently and fondled them with his thumbs twirling around her nipples. "—and how you moan-"

As if on cue, Xy'liah expressed a soft moan of pleasure as a result of the Captain's actions. His trail of kisses had led him to her right breast where he flicked a tongue over the hard nipple, eventually taking it into his mouth. He proceeded to gently suck on it as his tongue continued flicking against the nipple in all directions.

"Yes, just like that." Quinn moved from the right to the left and continued in the same manner as before.

The Sith's arms were loosely draped on his shoulders as her fingers were playing with his hair. She pulled at them a bit as another moan escaped when the Captain lightly bit one of her nipples.

The Captain retraced his path, giving quick kisses along the neck as he reached her face"-and especially the way you look as I'm fucking you…"

The Sith let out a deep breath of excitement at the statement. She grabbed Quinn's collars and roughly pulled him to her as she covered his mouth with hers. The Captain had to brace himself against the wall with his hands in order to keep from falling onto her. He smiled as she deepened the kiss, her tongue meeting his, and at the fact that she had gotten more moist in between her legs than before. Why, she was practically leaking through her pants.

"Does my fantasy excite you, my lord?" he asked playfully, breaking off the kiss. He reached down for her breasts again and covered one of the mounds with his mouth as one hand attended to the other.

She panted, swallowing before she answered, "You talk too much." She was getting impatient; he could feel it. Always rushing through everything, but not today. After enduring all those teasing and flirting, he deserved this.

She moaned softly as he played with her breasts; her hands rested within his hair.

Quinn, slowly, slid his hand from her breast to inside her pants. He quickly brushed against the folds, feeling her juices coating his fingers. He smiled quite proud of himself. She was so wet that it seemed like she was dripping on him. Quinn quickly explored the rest of her region with his fingers before pushing against her nub.

Her moans and cries became a little louder as her breathing became heavier than before. There he stayed, playing with her while his mouth changed from one breast to the next.

"Quinn…" he heard her said during one of her moans. The simple sound of her voice sent a shiver down his spine and throughout his body. He felt his desires increased and he had to fight against the urge to take her right then.

Quinn raised his head from her breasts as his fingers increased their pace. His other hand was still bracing himself against the wall as Xy'liah's hands grasped onto his uniform tightly. He watched her for a bit as she allowed herself to fall deeper and deeper into pleasure, mentally taking note of everything. Her hair, which was usually in its bun, had fallen all over her body due to the constant rubbing against the wall. Her sweats glistened all over her body and her cheeks flushed pink. He decided to experiment a bit, changing his tempo faster and then slower and enjoying the responses that followed.

The Sith slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the Captain through heavy lids, "You're teasing me."

"It's not as bad as what you did, my lord," he said as he lowered one of his fingers and slowly slid it up and inside her.

The Sith tilted her head back and let out a loud cry in response.

Quinn quickly leaned into her ear, "Shhh…we don't want anyone interruptions us again now do we?" And she quieted a bit at his voice as he skillfully began flicking his finger within her.

Quinn watched amused as the Sith did her hardest to remain quiet at his request. Her clutch became tighter and she had even resort to biting her lower lip to keep from crying out as he started moving the finger in and out of her. His eyes constantly shifted from her face to her breasts to the way she held onto to him as his mind tried its' best to preserve the feelings and the sensations of the moment.

When he was satisfied with what he saw, Quinn decided to once again switch it up, adding another finger inside of her as his thumb rubbed against her outside. He pushed off the wall to regain his balance a bit and moved that hand to pull down her pants completely. The Sith eagerly stepped out of it as soon as it the floor. His hand went under her right leg and hooked it underneath, bringing the hand back up against the wall along with her leg.

This tilted her forward a bit and opened her up more, making it easier to play with and enjoy her more. Her arms slid around his neck as she continued to enjoy the sensation, occasionally letting out moans here and there.

Quinn smiled as he continued watching her, enjoying the elicited cries of pleasure. Just exactly how did he manage to get one of the most powerful Sith Lords within the galaxy to be at his mercy? He had her begging for him, crying out for him. This scene, he had told himself long ago, was near impossible, but yet here he was now, watching her as she bucked and writhed with pleasure before him.

When he felt her starting to tremble and her moans becoming louder, he quickened his pace. She was near. He could sense the pressure building up within her. She was going to explode at any second now.

"Quinn!" she cried out in between breaths. Her moans became louder and more consistent and just as she was about to let out a loud cry, Quinn quickly leaned in to kiss her, muffling the sound. She twisted and bucked crazily against him as she came and Quinn intended on drawing out the orgasm as long as he can as his thumb rubbed her.

When she had finished, her arms relaxed their grip around his neck as she tried to catch her breath, "Captain…I never knew you had that in you."

"I'm more than just a by the book, stuffy, boring, anal strategist, fighter, and pilot," he said, quoting Vette's and Xy'liah's earlier statements about him. He withdrew his hand from her.

The Sith looked up at him guiltily, but Quinn gave her a quick kiss, "We're not done yet, my lord."

And at this the Sith looked at him with questioning eyes, "You have more to show me?"

"Much more," he said as he leaned in closer for another kiss.

Her hands cupped his face as they kissed. She heard him unbuckle his pants and the item along with a few others dropped to the floor.

The Captain stroked himself for a bit before guiding the length toward Xy'liah. He teased her for a bit, running his head up and down her womanhood, and then positioning it at the opening. His free hand went to her other thigh and lifted that one off the ground as he slid slowly into her.

She cried out in his mouth and he, himself, groaned as he felt her tight around him. He repositioned them so that her legs were wrapped around his waist and his hands gripping her hips. Then slowly, he started to thrust in and out of her, but had to stop himself shortly after to calm down, his forehead resting against her shoulder.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

"The sensation is overwhelming. I'll have to take it slow if I have any hopes of lasting awhile."

She waited for him and when he felt ready again, he slowly started, moving in and out of her. He watched her as she moved in sync with his thrusts, bouncing up and down.

"I want to feel your skin against mine," she said as she ripped his uniform open. He allowed her to help him out of it and out of the white undershirt he wore beneath. She tossed it aside and turned toward his defined chest. She ran her fingers over it, tracing the lines that formed ridges along his body. He groaned at her touch and continued his thrusting. She pulled him close, her breasts lightly rubbing against his chest as it bounced up and down. Quinn tightened his grip on her hips. It was all he could do to not explode suddenly within her.

The Sith played with his hair as it was her turn to observe him. Her half opened amber eyes gazed over him as he continued thrusting. She outlined his face, running her fingers alongside it as her eyes shifted to his nose and mouth and then up to his blue eyes. She held his gaze for a minute before letting out a small cry, "Quinn…I'm close again…"

She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation as she neared her peak; her moans became louder once more when Quinn quickened his pace; her fingers dug deep into his back. The louder she got, the faster he went until he felt her spasm all around him. That sensation mixed with her crying out his name was what ended him. He pumped into her faster as he spilled within, letting out a groan as his body trickled with waves of ecstasy.

"I'm glad we got that settled," Quinn said as he reached for his shirt and uniform jacket. He watched as the Sith adjusted her pants and reached for the belt to tie her tunic together. "I'll return to my post now. I hope to see you off duty again soon." The Captain quickly tightened his belt and buttoned up his uniform just as Xy'liah finished tying and adjusting her tunic.

She looked at him nonchalantly, "Perhaps the mood will strike me again."

"Hmm…you switch gears remarkably quickly, my lord." Quinn watched as Xy'liah left the bridge room before sitting down in the pilot's chair. He stretched out his legs and arms before folding them behind his head and leaning back in the chair. He smiled as he looked at the stars before him. Now _this_ was a better way of ending his vacation.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **Hello, sorry for the long break in the story. School's been taking over my life. :( but the craziness has died down a bit now and hopefully I will be back to updating more often.

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><p>Vette watched as the young former Jedi excitedly prepared herself for her upcoming mission. The twi'lek smiled at her companion as the young girl double checked her equipments with a nervous look upon her face. She knew the former Jedi had been waiting eagerly for her first official mission as the apprentice to a Sith Lord ever since she first set foot aboard the Fury. The following two weeks vacation nearly killed her with anxiety, "You sure you're not forgetting anything?"<p>

The young woman turned toward her and frowned, "I certainly hope not." She then proceeded to recheck her equipments once again much to Vette's amusement.

At that moment, the ship's Captain strolled into the crews' quarters, whistling to himself as he passed the two girls.

The unusual sound caused his two companions to turn their head in curiosity and watched as he went about his business. The scene was so bizarre that they had to keep turning their heads toward one another to be sure they weren't imagining or dreaming it.

"What's gotten you in a cheery mood?" Vette asked.

"Did you get on Darth Baras' good grace?" asked Jaesa.

"Or Xy'liah's?"

The Captain turned to both of them, "I'm already on both of our lords' good side. As for the source of my uplifted spirit, I'm planning on reuniting with a few comrades of mine as soon as we are planetside."

"I didn't know you had friends! I always thought you were destined to die alone and friendless. What a relief. Now you won't be so lonely when you go," said the sarcastic twi'lek as the Captain frowned at her statement. He turned away from the twi'lek's smile and rummaged through his wardrobe.

"We may not be close in relations, Captain, but even I know a few friends aren't capable of this," said Jaesa. "Plus my gut instinct and senses tell me otherwise."

The Captain ignored their comments and turned around to close his wardrobe. He then proceeded to walk toward the exit, but just as he was about to walk out of the room, Xy'liah stepped in.

"Good day, my lord," said the Captain continuing his stride. He gave the Sith a smile and wink before disappearing into the hallway.

Xy'liah raised a brow and turned toward her two companions, "What in the galaxy is the matter with him?"

The two girls shrugged as the Captain's footsteps went further and further away.

The Sith Lord took one last look in the Captain's direction before turning once again to the twi'lek and her apprentice. She had a skeptical face on as she watched the two girls, "Sometimes I wonder what idiotic things you guys do behind my back. You must be really bored aboard my vessel. Perhaps I should find more work for you guys, and here I thought fourteen hours a day was already enough."

"I swear we had nothing to do with _that_," said Vette pointing in their Captain's direction.

"The twi'lek's right, Master. We were equally dumbfounded and confused about Captain Quinn's unusually good mood," added Jaesa.

Silence went by as the Sith Lord contemplated whether or not to believe her crewmates, then, "Yes…well, finish up what you were doing. We are about to land on Nar Shaddaa and I don't want anything interrupting your focus. You are here as my apprentice and as my apprentice, you have a reputation to uphold. I will not tolerate any idiocy."

"Understood, Master. With my recent training, I feel ready for anything."

"Meanwhile I'm going to see to it that the Captain doesn't happily kill us all when he lands."

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><p>"Is there something you want to say, Jaesa?" asked Xy'liah as she navigated the taxi toward their destination.<p>

"Uh…I'm sorry, Master. Forgive my current state of being. I'm just so…excited about this. This is my first official mission as your apprentice. I hope I am up to the task," replied the former Jedi.

"You're a strong one, Jaesa. You'll do fine in keeping up. It's just the learning part that I hope you concentrate on. There is much more to being a Sith than everyone, especially the Jedi and Republic, makes it sound like. It's not all about killing and domination with us. But I do admit, we have a lot more fun than the Jedi," Xy'liah gave the young woman a smile as she steered the taxi onto the landing port. She wasted no time cutting the engine and jumping out of the vehicle. "We're here. Keep close."

Jaesa nodded and helped herself out of the vehicle also. She ran to catch up with the Sith ahead of her, doing her best to match her master's prideful stride.

Silently they entered the building, taking out any personnel that stood in their way. Once in, they heard voices down the hallway and followed them to a small room. There was an older gentlemen seated at a desk surrounded by a few guards and to the opposite of him was a blue-skinned person that Jaesa guessed to be a Chiss. She had never seen one personally, but heard of tales of how loyal this species was to the Imperial army. Apparently not all of those tales were true.

"General Gonn, I am happy to report that Jedi Master Xerender has landed safely on Hoth. I saw to it personally," said the Chiss to the older gentlemen.

Xy'liah leaned against a column as she watched the two exchanged information.

General Gonn stood up from his chair and came around toward the Chiss, landing a hand on his shoulder, "You are a valuable asset to the Republic, Fawste. Someday, the rest of the Chiss will follow your lead."

"Fawste, thank you for leading me to General Gonn," said Xy'liah interrupting the two men's sentimental moment. "You've been, as the General said, a valuable asset."

"Men, we've got trouble. Rally around the general!" cried out the Republic guards as they all ran to form a barricade between the two Sith and the general.

Jaesa's hands went instinctively to her lightsaber, but made no move of retrieving it when she realized her master was standing there defenseless. Her eyes observed the general's and Chiss' looks of confusion from her master's words. How clever of her to turn the two against each other.

The general took out his blaster and pointed straight at her master and suddenly Jaesa felt slightly uncomfortable about the numerous guns pointed in their direction. Her hand lay rested upon the hilt, ready to activate the deadly weapon should it become necessary.

General Gonn turned toward the Chiss, who backed away from the sudden intrusion, "What's this, Fawste? Have you double crossed me?!"

The Chiss had a worried look on as he trembled to get out the right words, "N-no, General. I'm-I'm not…I mean…uh…" The poor Chiss looked around confused as the men behind him took out their weapons and pointed toward the Republic, who turned their firepower toward the Chiss and his crew.

"Give it up, Fawste. The general's no dope," edged on her master.

"General, it's a lie! I swear to you!" the Chiss pleaded.

There was a moment of silence as the general contemplated whether to believe the Chiss or not. After a few minutes, he put away his blaster, "I believe you, Fawste. Sith are notorious liars. (Xy'liah shrugged at the statement.) Don't worry, our bond is not broken." His dark eyes turned toward Xy'liah. "I think I can guess who you are, Sith. For all of Darth Baras' covert manipulations, you have banged around the galaxy rather loudly. Now Baras has finally found me…I'll have to be more careful moving forward."

"Doesn't matter. I'll still find you no matter what."

"Sith, you are D-darth Baras' apprentice? We've heard of you," said the Chiss turning his worried look now over to Xy'liah. "This isn't what it looks like."

Xy'liah frowned at the Chiss' attempt to save his own hide, "I wasn't born yesterday, traitor!" She held up her hand, choking the Chiss, but was interfered by the general and his men.

"Men, attack! We need to defend our friends!" yelled the general and at the sound of that, Jaesa immediately activated her yellow lightsaber just as a bunch of red bolts came their way. The young apprentice deflected most of the bolts, shielding her Sith master, giving her enough time to activate her two crimson lightsabers.

Xy'liah flipped over Jaesa and brought her lightsabers down on a few of the Republic Sentinels, relieving her apprentice of the constant heavy fire.

Fawste looked up at the battlefield as the two Sith acrobatically defeated the Republic. His eyes widened when one of them sent dark energy strikes toward a few of the Republic, killing them almost instantly. There were such raw powers radiating from the both of them that he found himself contemplating whether or not he should run while they were being distracted by the general's men. But before he could come up with an answer, one of them struck her lightsaber straight through General Gonn. Fawste watched the general sank to his knees as the life drained from his surprised eyes. Then he fell forward, hitting the ground loudly.

At the sight of that, the Chiss backed away in fear as his men behind him readied their weapons. The two Sith turned their attention toward him and his crew and Fawste stood up, shakily just as Darth Baras' apprentice came forth to address him.

"You killed them all!" he exclaimed looking at all the dead bodies around him. "Please, mercy! I—we will rededicate ourselves to the Empire." He continued backing away as the Sith stepped closer and closer to them.

Behind her, her apprentice smiled and chuckled softly to herself, something that made the Chiss even more uncomfortable.

"What did you help Gonn with?" Xy'liah demanded.

"I-I helped a Jedi Master landed on Hoth undetected. I believe he is searching for something in the starship graveyard, but that's all I know!" He quickly confessed.

"Hmph," said her master. A smirk came across her face. "The offense is too great to let you live." And with those words, Xy'liah sent one of her lightsabers flying through the Chiss's chest, killing him in the same manner as General Gonn.

Jaesa activated her lightsaber once more when the Chiss's men fired their weapons. She wasted no time charging them and taking them out quickly. She looked down at the fallen men before her, more than half of which she took out herself. The young apprentice smiled to proudly to herself. There was such a rush and satisfaction from killing these men, a feeling that Jaesa could not yet comprehend. All she knew was that the rush she received from the action far outweighed the morale of the situation and she was totally fine with that.

The former Jedi looked to her new master proudly to see the young woman smiling back at her.

"Nice work," Xy'liah complimented as she deactivated her two lightsabers. She looked around at the dead bodies around them and made her way to the exit, stepping over the bodies that were in her way. "Now, I believe we are due on Dromund Kaas. Ready to meet the most boring Sith in the world?"

"You are referring to Darth Baras?" asked Jaesa as she followed Xy'liah out. _Of course she was, what a stupid question was that. _

"You know of any other boring Sith?"

The apprentice shook her head silently as she followed her master out.

"So how was it?"

"Great!" Jaesa blurted out gleefully. "Like I said before the fear you instilled in your opponents brings out the truth. The Chiss confessed rather quickly to his offenses."

"He knew he was dead once I came in. It was just amusing to see how he would try to save himself."

Jaesa nodded silently with a childish grin upon her face. She couldn't wait to get back to the ship to tell Vette all about her mission. The twi'lek probably wouldn't be able to handle it, but it would be amusing to see her try.

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><p>Quinn took a breath of air as he stood at the entrance of Kaas City. He smiled as a slight breeze blew in his face. How he missed this city! Life on Balmorra was far too boring compared to Kaas. He looked around the city excitedly. Kaas City had indeed changed quite a bit from the last time he was here. It was certainly nice to be back and even better that he was off duty and free to roam the city to his heart desire.<p>

"Yep, this place is gloomy as always," came a voice and immediately any good mood Quinn had came crashing down as he turned around to see the twi'lek and two Sith standing behind him.

"So this is the city of the Sith," said Jaesa as she eyed the tall skyscrapers. "It's…different from Coruscant."

"Let's not keep the Dark Lord waiting," said Xy'liah stepping forward into the city. "We're on his turf now and he has eyes everywhere in this city."

"Yes, Master," said Jaesa walking to catch up with her master.

"Be at the ship when I call," the Sith warned Quinn and Vette. "Vette!"

"Hm?"

"Don't get into any trouble! It'd be a shame if some other Sith decided to take you."

"Hmph, my sympathy will be more for the Sith," Quinn said under his breath as Vette gave him a frown.

"And Quinn!"

"Yes, my lord!" the Captain called out.

"Knock yourself out."

"Right…I'll take that as permission to enjoy my time off while on here."

"So anything planned in mind?" asked Vette following the Captain into the city.

"If you don't mind, I have a private matter to attend to," he said walking faster in an attempt to lose her. He should've known that that was going to fail.

"Oh right, your colleagues," she said as she hurried her pace to keep up with the Captain. "Well as much as I would like to hang out with your friends, military personnel aren't exactly my thing. I think I'll head to the cantina for a drink or see what the market has to sell. See ya!"

Quinn continued walking without turning back though he heard the footsteps following him around. Eventually they faded, but he kept on his trail, afraid that if he did turn around, the twi'lek might take that as a sign to follow him around even more.

He took some time to re-familarize himself with the city before heading out to the cantina himself. This should've given Vette enough time to get drunk and leave the cantina. Quinn frowned at the thought of running into her. Hopefully the big mouthed twi'lek somehow gets herself captured by slave dealers and taken off planet somewhere never to be seen again. It wouldn't be quite a tragedy if that had actually happened.

The Captain stopped in front of the Nexus Room cantina. He smiled as memories flowed into his head. Surprisingly he had spent a huge amount of his time here while he was briefly on Kaas City. This place has been the default spot he would go to whenever he needed a break from his Imperial duties.

A couple of drunk Imperials walked out of the cantina, laughing and talking rather loudly as they attempted to balance themselves and walk correctly. Quinn watched them go with a soft smile before entering the building, heading straight for one of the back private rooms.

He looked around while making his way back. Yep, the usual patronage was still here, enjoying their time off or partying with friends. It was as if nothing had changed, in this part at least.

He came upon a door to his right. This room seemed pretty small and isolated from everything else, placed in the corner compared to the rest of the heavily decorated room, but that didn't bother him the least. He didn't plan to spend much time here anyways.

The young Captain entered the room to see three familiar looking faces turn his way.

"Malavai!" cried out one of them. A red-haired young woman dressed in the Imperial army uniform similar to his ran into the Captain's arms.

"Lila Aiden," said Quinn a bit surprised at the display at affection. "It's been a while."

Lila smiled at the Captain, her cheeks turning a bit red from her earlier action.

"So, you did make it after all," said the other human behind her. He smiled as his blond hair fell into his blue eyes. "Sair and I were just betting if you were going to show up or not."

"I don't remember agreeing to any condition," said the Chiss next to him. "But if I did, I would have bet you to show up."

Quinn smiled as his comrades greeted him. They were all here…all three of them, except, "Where is Beau?"

"Ah, he was called off planet some where," said the human male. "Come, sit. We already poured you a cup, waiting for you."

Quinn walked with Lila and sat down at the table next to her. He took the mug and took a gulp of the ale, "I apologize if I kept you waiting. I had a prior engagement to deal with." A thought of the twi'lek ran through his mind as he said this and he felt quite glad that he had somehow ditched her within the city.

"Still the same old Malavai," said the human male. "Always work and duty. But I can assume that has all paid off now." He eyed the Captain's rank insignia attached to the left chest.

"It was a recent promotion, one that I have been quite grateful to receive given my previous circumstances," Quinn smiled at his friends. "But I have been keeping up with yours as well. Congratulations to all of you. I've only heard through holonet and rumors some of your achievements during my…absence."

Lila frowned next to him, "We all missed you, Malavai. Beau the most. He was quite angered when he heard what had happened. He tried to find a way to get you off Balmorra, but every single attempt was blocked by higher command. No doubt works of the Moff, but I heard through rumors that he is gone now. Just up and disappeared."

At this, the Captain smiled proudly to himself. _All thanks to me. _

The next few hours were spent with the four reminiscing of their time together at the military academy and what had happened to each of them since. Quinn watched them all as they interacted with one another. He had forgotten what it was like to just relax and socialize. Ever since he was sent to Balmorra, Quinn had subconsciously blocked anyone that had ever made an attempt to get into his private life, these three included.

As they talked, Quinn's own mind wandered off through old memories he had of them. They were good people, all of them and they all shared a certain passion together: the future well-being of the Empire.

Quinn watched as the human male talked. His name was Marcus Orion and from what Quinn had heard, he was also a Captain, married with two kids. Marcus had always been the hearty one of the group. His optimistic personality was what attracted Quinn to him in the first place. He had that special quality that not too many people had in the Imperial army. His good-nature and optimistic appearance instantly shed light on any hopeless situation and never failed to calm everyone around him. He was superb at rallying morale, even back in the academy whenever they were faced with a difficult task. It was this quality, Quinn was sure, that made him an excellent leader.

Then next to him sat quiet Sair or Kres'air'nuruodo. The Chiss had always been the quiet one in the group, but he was cool and collected. He was almost always calm in any situation and came up with the fastest of the solutions to the problems, ones that weren't rash.

Quinn had met the Chiss at the academy a few days after he started. They were assigned to a mock mission together. It was the first time Quinn had worked with a Chiss. He had his doubts at first at the foreign humanoid's capabilities to keep up with the rest of them, but was soon proven wrong when Sair was the only one able to figure out an acceptable solution to the dilemma given to them. Since then, the Chiss never failed to prove himself capable of handling just about any situation thrown at him.

Quinn had always felt a certain connection to Sair. One being that their personality mirrored each other's exactly to a certain degree and they both had difficult circumstances to overcome. Quinn had the Moff's vindictive nature to deal with and Sair had to deal with a majority of the Imperial Forces underestimating him. Because of this, Quinn was quite pleased to see Sair doing well despite his problems.

Lila let out a chuckle at Marcus's last statement, which brought the Captain's attention to her. Lila Aiden. She was the beauty—and brains—of the group. She was quite skilled at retrieving any information and infiltrating the most guarded systems. But she was deadly as she was beautiful and smart. Her aim with any kind of gun was almost always accurate. She would have done well as an agent of the Empire, but refused when approached. She was never quite fond of ruthlessly killing people, but that didn't stop her whenever it became necessary.

"I would miss you guys too much," Quinn remembered her saying one time when Beau constantly pestered her about becoming an agent. "I may have all those qualities, but my emotions run too strong. I could never keep my cover." And she was right. She had always been the honest, caring, emotional one in the group. It was because of this that she had people taking constant advantages of her, something Quinn had worried about back then. The world of military and politics was not the safest of place to be and if you cannot stand your ground, you will be pushed aside like debris from space.

"What about you, Malavai?" Lila asked.

Quinn snapped out of his thoughts and turned to face the young woman, "I'm sorry?"

"You've been so quiet, sitting there. Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine. I actually enjoy listening to everyone reminiscing about the past. It relaxes me in a way."

"How is that Sith you are assigned to?" asked Sair. "I heard you are working for the apprentice of the Sith that is responsible for helping you with Moff Broysc. Paying back a favor?"

"You could look at it that way. I aided her when Darth Baras sent her to Balmorra. Her mission proved successful. It pleased her master so much that he relieved me from my duties upon Balmorra and I was able to reassign myself anywhere."

At this, Lila gave him a small frown, "Why didn't you come back here to us?"

"I figured I would better compensate for the time lost if I travelled with his apprentice than back here. She has given me much liency in completing my work."

"I've heard stories of working for Sith," said Marcus. "Mainly from Beau. They're much worst than any Moffs I have known. How are you holding up?"

"Quite the contrary, my friend. Like I said, my master gives me much liency. She has delegated me the responsibility of her vessel and crewn. I can't think of any better way to help the Empire than to be with one that has been profoundly impacting it." Quinn eyed his comrades as they all eyed him intently. The expressions upon their faces showed just how curious they were about working under a Sith. From what he concluded, they had barely been contacted by any Sith. He smiled. Now this he did not mind sharing about.

* * *

><p>Jaesa nervously looked around as she followed her master deeper and deeper into the building. She was completely surrounded by Sith on each side and perhaps it was out of old habit, but she couldn't help, but rested her hand upon the hilt of her lightsaber just in case anyone tried to attack.<p>

Every head that turned their way only eyed them intently before turning back to their work. Jaesa sensed a lot of curiosity as she passed them by. Of course her master and her were known in this city. She was the promising young Jedi that had fallen to the dark side, and Xy'liah was the Sith that was responsible for it.

Jaesa stopped as her master came upon a huge doorway. She looked up and to the side, eyeing the intricate designs that snaked their way down the huge metallic doors. Her brown eyes turned toward her master as the young Sith in front of her turned to address her.

"Ready?"

Jaesa nodded as she felt a big lump within her throat. It slowly went down as she was led into the room however.

The former Jedi looked ahead to see the familiar short Sith that frequently appeared on their ship's holoterminal. He was facing away from them, talking to someone on his holoterminal as the two walked in quietly and stood behind him.

"Baras, are you responsible? Was it you who took out General Gonn?" the holo image of the man asked.

"It was, Lord Vengean. The fringe systems are now ripe for the taking," said Baras with a small respectful bow.

"Such an advantage will prod the rest of the council out of passivity. They will see war as the only answer. You have delivered to me what I most crave."

Xy'liah's eyes narrowed as Baras continued to communicate with his master. It was strange seeing the powerful Sith act in this manner. She watched him as the older Sith in front of them bowed even lower, "I will always serve you to the full extent of my abilities, master."

Lord Vengean's lips curled up into a smile, but it was immediately followed by a frown as the Sith Master turned his attention from his apprentice to the room surrounding him. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room, "Who stands by eavesdropping? I do not like to be observed."

Xy'liah took that as her cue to walk forward into the view of the Sith Master.

"My lord, this is my most distinguished apprentice. And the deliverer of General Gonn's death," introduced Baras. He stepped aside, making room for Xy'liah to stand next to him and to face the Dark Master.

Lord Vengean turned to look at her, "I see. Funny you haven't mentioned this one. You, apprentice. By serving Darth Baras, you serve me. Do you understand?"

Xy'liah frowned at the tone of voice the Dark Lord chose to use with her. It was as if he was speaking to an imbecilic humanoid, who barely comprehended Basic. But the young Sith quickly pushed that thought aside as she answered, "I comprehend your meaning." Her eyes narrowed a bit at the Dark Lord.

"Good. It is time. I will send my destroyer to the fringe systems and they will be mine before anyone is the wiser. The order is given, Baras. Enact Plan Zero. Vengean out."

Baras and Xy'liah nodded as the holo image disappeared. A relieved sigh was let out as the Dark Lord turned to face his apprentice.

"Excellent," he said, smiling behind that mask of his. "I have waited a long time for this order. Apprentice, Plan Zero is the systematic elimination of the Republic's top military leaders. A preemptive strike that will leave the enemy headless."

"We all know how this goes. Just tell me who I'm after and I'll be gone in the next second."

Baras chuckled a bit at his apprentice's statement, "I admire your enthusiasm on this. I have been tracking the targets for years in anticipation of Plan Zero. There is no time to waste. Make ready your ship. I will contact you there."

Xy'liah nodded and turned to leave before Baras stopped her again.

"Are you not going to formally introduce me to your apprentice?"

Jaesa watched as her master stopped in her tracks and heard her let out a small sigh before turning around.

"Forgive me, Master. Like you said, I'm quite enthusiastic about this upcoming mission." She turned toward the young girl and back to Baras. "Jaesa this is my master, Darth Baras."

Jaesa bowed, "I'm honored, Master."

Baras laughed, "You're maybe her master, apprentice, but it wouldn't do you any harm to learn a thing or two about manners from her."

Xy'liah frowned at the statement and watched as her master quickly circled Jaesa.

"Yes, you are what I imagined you to be," he said. "I sense the Force flowing tremendously in you. I trust my apprentice will guide you well on your journey of mastering it. But of course, as only my apprentice, her knowledge with the Force will be limited. If you allow me, however, someone, who is a master in the arts, to train you, I can see your powers increasing tenfold."

"You are too kind, my lord," said Jaesa bowing once more. "But so far, Master Xy'liah has proven to be a superb mentor to me. I only hope I am graced more by her wisdom."

"Come, Jaesa," said Xy'liah before Baras could say anything else to persuade her apprentice from leaving her. "We have a mission to complete." Xy'liah gave her master a small bow before heading out of the room with Jaesa following her.

* * *

><p>"It sounds like you're living the luxurious version of our lives," said Marcus as Quinn finished up his stories abroad the ship.<p>

"I highly doubt that," said Quinn. "But there are definitely some advantages to it."

Their earlier conversation had somehow moved to the private quarters of Lila, but Quinn didn't mind. He was getting restless sitting on that barstool for hours.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. As much fun as this was, I'm afraid I have to get back to my duties," said Sair. "There is a project I must complete within the next few days." He stood up. "If you would excuse me."

"I think I better be going to," said Marcus. "The Mrs. Is probably wondering where I am at. I'm sure those two kids of mine are probably driving her crazy right now." He turned and gave Quinn a quick hug. "It was good to see you again, old friend. I hope our paths cross more often in the future."

"Likewise," said Quinn. He watched as the two walked out of the quarters, leaving him and Lila alone. Quinn turned toward the young woman. She had been unusually quiet during their conversation. "Perhaps I should leave too."

"No," she said quickly. "Please, stay a while. Who knows when is the next time I will see you?"

"Whenever it is, I hope it won't be as long as this," said Quinn.

"Malavai," said Lila. She trailed off a bit as if contemplating whether or not to continue with the conversation.

Quinn tensed up at the sound of her voice. The vibe had quickly changed from being pleasant to being somber. Something about the tone of her voice had Quinn feeling quite uncomfortable and he found himself quickly thinking up of different appropriate excuses to leave.

"It's just that, I know you're probably having fun, travelling the galaxy with your new commander and all, but honestly, do you think it not better to be here? After all, it is what you had always desired."

"It _was _what I desired. During that time, I had never imagined I would be where I am at presently. Think about it, Lila. If I stayed here, I wouldn't have accomplished much. There are so many rules and regulations here and while I have no quarrels with abiding by them, I find it more liberal to be where I am at."

"I see," said the young woman softly. Her blue eyes looked away and down to a spot on the floor.

"I was given a second chance, something I thought that I will never see, and I do not plan on taking it for granted," Quinn quickly added before Lila had a chance to say more. He had hoped this would have ended their conversation.

"I see," Lila said once more. She looked up at him and smiled. "You were always a hard person to persuade, Malavai. Once you set your mind to something, you dedicate yourself completely to it. But have you ever thought of what happens afterwards? When your master's mission is over? Did you think you'd stay aboard her ship and under her command forever?"

A few moments of silence past as Lila searched the young Captain's face for a subtle hint to what he was thinking. But he kept his face rigid as he returned her look; his eyes completely emotionless. Then slowly he opened his mouth to respond, "When that particular time nears, I will attend to it. As of right now, paying it mind will only create unnecessary complications for me."

Lila cocked her head to the side at his response with a skeptical look, "You really do believe that you will be under her command forever, don't you?" She scoffed. "Don't be a fool, Malavai. Whatever she told you are probably all lies. She's just using you. All Sith are the same. They have their own agenda, one that we do not fit nor belong in. I'm giving you a chance to secure your future. You talk about getting a second chance, but what you don't know is that you're slowly wasting it the longer you stay where you are!"

"I do not expect you to understand, Lila. I _need _to be there. She _needs _me."

"Needs you? She doesn't need you. She can easily replace you. You are so engulfed with the romantics of space travel that you can't see that you are nothing more to her than a pawn in her campaign. If you were to fall in battle, she won't care. But _I _do. You are a smart man, Malavai, but you are completely dense when it comes to matters like this."

Quinn frowned, "I think I overstayed my welcome. Please excuse me. I have other matters to attend to." And with that, Quinn turned and left, leaving a very frustrated Lila.

* * *

><p>Quinn sighed as the cool breeze hit his face; his mind was replaying the earlier scene over and over again. Was everything he said true? Was he saying it out of obligation and duty? He admitted that this was not what he had planned for, but he was content with the current situation. There were multiple times when he found himself debating whether to leave or not, but each time he had always come up with an answer justifying his stay aboard Fury.<p>

If this had been a few years ago when he was still languishing on Balmorra, he would have gone back to Kaas City in a heartbeat if offered the chance. But things changed and even earlier when they had first landed in the hangar, Quinn had found himself already looking forward to returning to the ship and to be back on duties.

What was most interesting to him was how angry he found himself getting when Lila had mentioned Xy'liah. He had thought the feeling to come from his loyalty to Xy'liah, but yet there was something else, something he couldn't quite put his finger on yet. It was something for him to think about on his way back to the ship, he decided.

The Captain turned a corner and walked aimlessly along the edge of the city as more thoughts roamed through his head when a familiar voice sent his heart racing.

"CAPTAIN!" Quinn turned in the direction to see Xy'liah, Jaesa, and Vette standing at the block ahead of him. The Sith motioned for him to come to her. "Where have you been?! I have been looking for you everywhere!"

"Forgive me, my lord. I was clearing up some prior engagements. I am more focused now and ready to be back on duty."

Xy'liah rolled her eyes as she led the way to the taxiport, "Seriously, Quinn, even when on vacation, you go out and find work to do. I'm starting to think giving you any vacation at all is pointless since you waste it on work-related matters anyways."

Quinn smiled as he climbed aboard the taxi. This situation may not be the ideal one he had envisioned, but with each passing second, he was becoming quite content with it.


	16. Chapter 16

Lieutenant Pierce woke up to the sound of the usual noises that went about early mornings on Taris. He grumbled as he rubbed his face. Today was the day, the day where he'd have to kiss a lot of ass in hopes of getting off this rubbish planet. Today was the day where he'd have to cater to a Sith Lord sent by the Empire to handle the situation that was quickly turning into a crisis. The thought of bending over for anyone already had him in a foul mood. He had dealt with Sith Lords in the past before, all of them smug and arrogant. Just because they can do witchcraft or sorcery did not make them superior to the rest. He known some to be cowards and some to be complete idiots, stubborn and like to nag every chance they get.

He let out a low growl as he picked up his mug of ale. This one will probably fall in either one of those categories or perhaps he will be a little bit of both. That would definitely make this mission more memorable.

Pierce looked out his small bunker window as he took a sip of his ale and saw the smog that always blocked the ray of lights from entering. He would go outside and take a deep breath of fresh air to rid himself of any foul mood this morning, except that on Taris, the air was not fresh, but stained with foul smelling odors and chemicals, remnants of the battle that happened long ago.

His dark brown eyes darted across from his bunker to the huge distant building that he was about to spend his next ten or so hours at. Even that looked to be gloomy and uninviting.

"Lieutenant," came a voice muffled by the thick metallic door. Pierce turned toward it as the voice continued. "Moff Hurdeon sent me to deliver this package, sir."

Pierce let out a dismal sigh and took a few gulps of his ale before letting the errand boy in.

He looked up at him with fearful blue eyes as the Lieutenant towered over him. He was quite young in age, probably just reached adulthood. _They just keep getting younger and younger and stupider and stupider. _Pierce thought as he took the package from the boy's hands. The boy quickly saluted the Lieutenant and went away, leaving Pierce to stare at the package in his possession.

_This package is probably filled with unnecessary things_, Pierce thought as he turned over the neatly wrapped package and examined it. With one move, he ripped the delicate packaging with his big calloused hands to find a bunch of items as well as a thoroughly composed list inside.

Pierce quickly scanned the items that lay out before him before averting his eyes to the list. It was a personal letter from the Moff explaining to him, once again, the importance of this day and how he should behave as well as a few other points the Moff thought it necessary to repeat. The small list contained preparations that needed to be done should the Sith Lord request it, such as neatly made quarters for his own personal use, speeder in case he needed transportation, and for some reason, the finest food made on Taris. The list had nothing, but the word "kiss ass" written all over it.

Pierce grunted. He was never much of a kiss ass nor was he into all these rules and regulations. He believed a leader should earn their respect from their actions and not by title alone. This was why he had joined Black Ops instead of direct politics. In Black Ops as well as any other branches, one earned his/her respect by their performance on the battlefield and there were certainly not any rules or regulations when it came to war. In a way, he was free to blow up anything he wanted, provided that it benefitted the Empire.

Just then, the familiar sound of an incoming transmission came from his small personal holocommunicator. Pierce turned to it, dreading the call. In his mind, he had imagined the small holo image of the Moff already popping up and repeating everything Pierce had just read on the list.

The sound came again, but this time it sounded louder just like the Moff's voice whenever he felt compelled to nag endlessly at the Black Ops personnel.

"Ah, I see you've gotten my package," the Moff said when Pierce finally summoned the patience to let the transmission through. "I trust you'd take care of everything by this afternoon? That is when our expected guest of honor arrives you know."

"Yeah, I got it," Pierce murmured, taking another drink from his mug.

"Good. I hope you know how important this day is. It's not everyday a Sith Master contacts me, requesting my help with his personal missions. I feel quite honored in a way. I never had reasons to help Darth Baras before, but I don't want to leave a bad impression on his doorstep. The key to being successful is making friends with everyone that comes your way and pick out the ones that will benefit you and discard the ones that won't. It's how I got here, you know."

"Yeah, I know…"

The Moff narrowed his brows at the unpleasant sound of the Lieutenant's voice, "Yes, well, I won't keep you. I'll meet you here when you are all done. And be sure you have a complete attitude adjustment before Darth Baras' apprentice arrives. Like I said, I don't want to be leaving a bad impression."

"Noted." Pierce ended the transmission prematurely. If he hadn't, the Moff would've went on and on again about the same topics. It was as if he was a broken record that Pierce couldn't get rid of no matter how hard he tried.

With one last gulp of his ale and a deep breathing exercise to relax himself, Lieutenant Pierce stood up and readied himself for the long day ahead.

* * *

><p>"My lord, we have landed on the Taris Orbital Station," said Quinn as he watched the Sith turned over in her bed. She was wrapped tightly in her covers and had a pillow over her head to shield her eyes from the harsh lights outside her dark quarters. A low groan came from underneath the pillow followed by some indistinct noises of frustrations.<p>

"You were supposed to wake me _before _we landed, Captain," she said in a tired tone.

"Yes, well given your earlier encounter with General Gonn and Darth Baras, I thought perhaps it was best to let you rest in a little. Had I awaken you an hour before we landed, you'd be even more exhausted than now."

"Argh…who turned on the lights?!" The Sith yelled from underneath the pillow. She pushed the pillow down further to hide more of her face from the lights.

The Captain pushed the door controls behind him. The door slid shut with ease and now all he could see was a big black shadow on the bed outlined by dimly lit lights. He felt his heart raced a little as he surveyed his surrounding. Without the harsh lights intruding from outside, the dimly lit lights created a nice, relaxed, and even romantic vibe within her quarters.

"I hate the light," she said. "I've always hated the light. Hmph, explains why I am what I am."

"My lord, I don't mean to rush you, but time is of the essence here. With each passing minute, the War Trust gets closer and closer to their goal."

"Didn't you recently stock some energy boosting stims in the medic bay?"

"I don't believe that is such a good idea."

"It will wake me up."

Quinn smirked in the darkness as the ball of black shadow shifted position on the bed and walked closer to her. Her head emerged from the pillow as she sensed his presence towering over her, "Perhaps this will wake you." He leaned down and gently gave her a small kiss.

She kissed him back without hesitation, reaching up to grab the collar of his uniform and pulling him onto the bed. Immediately she went to work, unbuttoning his outer uniform jacket and pulling him down further onto her.

Quinn had to braced himself from the abrupt actions of the Sith. He broke off the kiss and raised his head for some air as she started kissing his neck.

"My lord, as much as it will disappoint me…and I know I will regret this later, but this is not the time for this. The others will wonder where I am. I should get back to my duties," he urged. He couldn't allow his newly achieved personal level with the Sith to color his duties to the Empire. He had allowed himself to break some protocals earlier, but he wasn't planning on making that a habit.

"This _is _apart of your duties, Captain," said the Sith with no sign of stopping. When the Captain hesitated for a bit longer, the Sith Lord flipped him over, reversing their position. She could see the hard outlined expression of his stunned face cast by the low lamps on each of her bed stands. She chuckled softly to herself at his helpless state.

The Captain's blue eyes met the Sith's as he lay there, staring at her. Even in the darkness, she looked so ravishingly beautiful. Her wild long brown hair, softly lit by the light, cascaded down her body and the thin straps of her pajamas drooped down the sides of her shoulders. There was lust within those ambers eyes of hers as well as determination.

Quinn contemplated stopping her little conquest as he felt her soft hands running up his torso, pushing his white shirt up along with it. But he knew how futile his attempt would be. The determination within her eyes told him she was not going to let him up easily and certainly not until she got what she wanted. So he lay there, watching her as she impatiently pulled apart his garments.

Within the next two minutes, she fully undressed him much to his surprise. He didn't even remember her ever touching his pants, but yet they were off him. She looked down at him, smiling her infamous smile. Then slowly, she started rubbing herself back and forth over his engorged length; the silky texture of her shorts smoothly glided over him.

Quinn gasped at the contact, his hands clenching the sheets around him. He closed his eyes and arched his back a little, pushing himself further against her.

The next minute, he felt soft lips upon his as the Sith bent over to kiss him. The Captain took advantage of this and moved his hands to her night shirt. He cupped her breasts and gently massaged them as his thumbs encircled her already hard nipples. He grabbed at the low neckline of the shirt and pulled it down as the Sith broke off the kiss and straightened herself on him. She fidgeted with something upon him and Quinn took this opportunity to reach out in the darkness for her now exposed breasts, but just as he was about to reach them, her hands came up to grip his wrists firmly and pinned them down beside him.

Quinn looked up at the Sith, her face an inch away from his. There was nothing, but silence as he stared at her, except for the sound of his hard breathing due to the built up of pleasure.

Quinn raised his head to kiss the Sith once more as he wrestled to free his arms. She fought off every single attempt and in no time had him back to how she wanted him. The Sith shifted her position on him and Quinn felt something warm and tight around him.

The Captain groaned at the overwhelming sensation as his head fell back down upon the bed. She started moving up and down, slowly at first, but increased with each passing second. Her hands released his arms as she brought them to his chest, giving herself more leverage.

Instinctively Quinn moved his hands to grip her waist tightly in an attempt to slow down her tempo. He held her down as he arched himself a little higher, pushing himself deeper into her. She let out a small pleasurable moan as a result.

Quinn watched her catch her breath through half-heavy, drooping lids. In the next instance, the Sith started moving up and down again, but this time slower than her last pace. Though he couldn't see her face clearly, he could see the soft outlines of the looks of pleasure she expressed each time she went up and back down.

_Why did she have to be so perfect? _He found himself asking as he enjoyed her work. Her pace quickened and Quinn braced himself for his release.

In the next minute or so, he spilled into her, letting out a loud groan as he did.

The Sith collapsed down onto him after her release, both panting heavily.

"I'd better not hear you whistling about this, Captain," she muttered sternly underneath her breath after a few minutes.

Quinn couldn't help, but smiled at her statement. Earlier before they arrived on Taris, he had quite a time convincing her that the driving force behind his chipper mood was his old colleagues and nothing else. Of course, he knew he couldn't fool her, "Understood, my lord."

* * *

><p>"Hey, did they leave for Taris already?" asked Vette to the former Jedi apprentice.<p>

Jaesa turned around, "I hope not. Master Xy'liah said she would come get me when she was ready."

"Well, where is she?"

"I don't mean to interrupt," said 2V-R8. "But I did see Master Quinn entering her quarters about half an hour ago. I believed he was going to inform our Master that we have landed."

"Perhaps we should pay her a visit? Knowing the Captain, he might be trying to plan something behind our backs," said Jaesa, dropping the metal in her hands and making her way out toward the Sith's chambers. Vette and R8 followed.

The young apprentice seemed to be in some sort of a rush to Vette as she followed her toward the chambers. She must be really worried about what the Captain might be saying/planning behind them. Vette, too, found it quite strange for Quinn to even be in the Sith's chambers. Whenever he had a message to relay to her, he would always send R8. It was quite strange that he, himself, decided to go "inform" the Sith of their arrival.

Vette watched as Jaesa waved her hand and the controls at the side of the door changed from a red to green. She hadn't even bothered announcing her presence to the Sith Master.

Vette quickly caught up to Jaesa, scenarios of catching a guilty Quinn ran through her mind. What they saw, however, caught them off guard; a pair of amber eyes were glaring back at them.

"What is it?" Xy'liah snapped. She was standing next to her bed, adjusting her bun as her eyes stared at the intruding trio.

"Master," said Jaesa surprised. She quickly scanned the room, but saw no other sign of anyone else within the chambers.

"Well?"

"I um…was wondering when we are to disembark. I'm sure they are probably wondering where we are at."

"I could care less about those fools. I disembark whenever I want to disembark. If I decide to disembark 12 hours from now, who is going to stop me?"

"Uh, yes, I understand. I apologize for not knocking. It's just that.—"

"We were worried about you! What if you something had happened to you and we had no clue?!" Vette exclaimed, her worried tone sounded much more convincing than Jaesa's.

The Sith raised a brow at them, "Like what? My blankets or perhaps my bed attacking me?"

"I've heard of that happening…" the twi'lek murmured softly.

"We won't keep you, Master. We'll wait for you in the lounge area—"

"There's no need." Xy'liah turned toward them. "I'm ready. R8!"

"Yes, Master!" replied the droid promptly.

"Tidy up my room. I'm starting to notice dust everywhere. That is unacceptable!"

"Yes, Master! I will make sure this room is sparkling when you return!"

"It had better." Xy'liah walked toward them and the trio immediately parted ways for their Sith Lord to exit.

* * *

><p>"Moff Hurdeon, the Sith has arrived," Lieutenant Pierce said as two figures moved toward them out of the corner of his eyes. He turned to see the incoming Sith, only to stare at them in astonishment.<p>

Two young ladies, both with dark brown hair, walked their way. Though, they each wielded a lightsaber or two, the weapon of a Sith, their outfits were far from Sith like. Pierce frowned in his head. He had expected someone more intimidating and much older to walk through those doors. Someone more like the Darth that had just contacted them: short, stout, face hidden behind a mask from all the scars and bruises probably, and decked out in fancy armor. These two young ladies, however, were far from intimidating. Why, they were kids compared to Pierce, who guessed to be at least ten years their senior. The stories he had heard from Moff Hurdeon and travelers in and out of Taris…these were the duo that were responsible for half the destruction within the galaxy?

The Moff looked up from his datapad, "What's that, Lieutenant?" He looked at the Lieutenant's speechless expression before turning to see what he was looking at. Two young ladies were standing at the entrance of the room. Immediately, Hurdeon set down his datapad upon the table before he and Pierce walked to greet the Sith. "Oh, I didn't see you come in. You must be the Sith Darth Baras sent. Welcome to Taris."

"Moff Hurdeon, I presume," said one of the ladies. From her authoritative stance and tone of voice, he guessed her to be the leader of the two.

"I have never had cause to assist Darth Baras before, but I have been a long time admirer of his work…and yours of course," the Moff quickly added, smiling nervously at the two ladies.

Their facial expressions remained the same much to the Moff's dismay. He frowned at his previous failed attempt to lighten the mood.

"I doubt she came all this way to be fawned on," added his Lieutenant beside him as if it wasn't already obvious enough.

"Of course," said the Moff. "May I introduce Lieutenant Pierce, on loan from our black ops division. He is hands down my finest officer."

The two ladies' eyes turned toward the Lieutenant. One of them bowed her head and smiled while the other remained the same. Her eyes subtly eyed him from head to toe and that was when Pierce realized the unique nature of her eyes. They were a bright amber color, definitely one of her most striking features.

"I give you exclusive reign of him while you are on Taris, which I trust will accommodate your every need," continued the Moff.

The Sith's brow raised as she once again turned toward the Lieutenant with a smile across her face, "Are you ready to accommodate me, Lieutenant? It can be very…_rewarding_."

Pierce, too, raised a brow at her statement. Was she trying to hint at something? It hasn't been long since they have met, but Pierce was already feeling a certain chemistry between him and the leader. If that was the case, then this mission won't be as bad as he previously thought. He smiled at the thought. "Rewarding…is good."

Next to Pierce, the Moff frowned at the two's instantaneous connection, "Yes, well, I will leave you two to your mission then. As you proceed, if I can offer any further aid, do not hesitate to contact me." The Moff left, a bit disturbed at what he just witnessed.

Pierce watched the Moff go. _Good riddance. _If he were to stick around longer, this mission will never get done. He turned back to the awaiting Sith, "Heard we were going after the War Trust. Did some homework. If that is the mission, I'm fully prepped."

She smiled even more at his statements, "I like a man who goes after what he wants."

"I'm steady and sure in all situations, my lord," Pierce smiled. Yes this was going to be a great mission after all. If he was going to be forced to go through this torture, he damn sure was going to have some fun along the way. "All four of the War Trust's generals are here on Taris, which means something big. But they never show their faces. Got my hand on a Republic scout, leaned on him. Hard. He was setting up supply route for General Frellka, the War Trust's junior member."

"Ah, well I guess this time I won't have to do the chasing. I'd like to interrogate this scout personally."

"He's dead."

"Oh."

"Sorry." He added after seeing the young Sith's disappointed look.

Her feelings didn't last long, "Ah, it's inconsequential. A lead's a lead."

"The story checked out. Been scouting the area the scout described. Several heavily armed Republic supply caravans run along carefully staggered routes. Couple of soldiers could hit the caravans, pull their transponders, triangulate their destination with the equipment here."

"Sounds simple enough. Get them rea-"

"Moff Hurdeon can't spare the manpower though."

"-and I knew something like this was going to come up." Pierce watched as the Sith brought her hands to her hips, shaking her head in disappointment. "This mission just isn't a mission unless I do the errands. I wonder when I'll get to sit behind a desk and order people around."

"I can handle the triangulation. Not really my thing, but I'm trained. Here are the coordinates. Caravans run daily-"

"How convenient."

"-but they vary in timing."

Both Sith turned to look at the Lieutenant. He couldn't help, but smiled in his head as he saw both of their are-you-kidding-meexpression. "I'm sure you'll run into them eventually."

"So it's a stake out. Great, I'm sure the toxicity of this planet will do wonders for my health."

Pierce smiled at the young Sith's sarcastic attitude. Now this was something he could work with, "Hit them enough to snag the transponders. I'll figure out where they are going. Should zero in on Frellka."

The young Sith turned toward her fellow Sith, "Welcome to my life, apprentice. We chase after idiots and then more idiots, then get blamed for killing those idiots when patience runs out. It's quite boring and pointless, but there are some perks along the way."

The Sith behind her bowed, "I can't wait, Master."

_Master? But they appear to be the same age! _Pierce scratched his head as the two turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>"I pulled the Moff's profile," said Vette quite proud of her work. She turned toward Quinn, a smile forming from ear to ear.<p>

"Moff Hurdeon? I've heard of him," said Quinn, looking at the screen and ignoring the twi'lek's smile. The very sight of her already had him annoyed. He reached out and typed something into the console. Smaller windows popped up next to the Moff's oversized image and bio.

"Whoa, who's that?" Vette asked pointing to the image of a soldier on screen. "He's not wearing the usual uniform."

"I believe that is the uniform worn in black ops," said Quinn as he zoomed in on the soldier. "Lieutenant Pierce of Black Ops Division. He was sent to aid the Moff in his mission to Taris." The Captain looked up at the screen and more closely at the soldier's image. A frown crossed his face once he saw the image.

"Hey, now that I'm looking at him," said Vette as she cocked her head to the side to get a better look as the Captain stepped back from the screen. "Doesn't he remind you of Fi-"

"Don't say it," snapped the Captain. He continued staring at the screen as a small sigh escaped his mouth. Something inside of him told him he was about to relive his nightmare on Alderaan.

* * *

><p>"Transmitting the Republic caravan transponder frequencies now," said the small holo image of the Sith.<p>

"Give me a minute to retrace their route. See where they are converged," said Pierce. He waited, awaiting approval from the Sith. According to Moff Hurdeon, everything had to be approved by the Sith or chance the fact that they might get offended and purposely sabotage the mission. This mission put him closer to getting transferred off this toxic planet, so he was in no position to refuse the Moff's advice.

"By all means. Go ahead," she said.

"My Lord." Pierce went to work, punching buttons into the computer. He had successfully inputted the data and was now just waiting for it to load. He cursed underneath his breath when he saw how slow the computer was actually loading. All this money and the Empire couldn't afford faster computers? His eyes kept shifting from the monitor to the Sith periodically as the computer still continued to load. Sith were notorious for their lack of patience and each had a different threshold for it. Hopefully, this one wasn't as bad as her Dark Master before her when the Moff failed to pull up a specific document for him in time.

Thoughts of handling an angry Sith ran through his mind, making him a bit uneasy, but they were soon laid to rest when the screen zoomed into a location on the Tarisian map. "Triangulation's complete. Only one place these caravans could be going…Transmitting coordinates. Has to be General Frelka's location."

He watched as the Sith took a quick glance at the coordinates he had sent her. Her face wore a bored expression and Pierce worried that it might be due to the wait of the loading time.

"Tell me anything else important about the area," she demanded as she passed the coordinates off to her apprentice, who examined the map more closely than her master had.

"We beat the Reps out of there a few months back; all we found were rank caves that the pirates used to use. If they snuck back in, they're after something. Good hunting," said the Lieutenant. He was eager to move on with the mission, but did his best to not show it. He didn't want her getting the wrong idea of him rushing her, so he waited until the Sith acknowledged him before pushing the end button.

When her apprentice was done examining the coordinates and handing it back to her, Xy'liah gave the anxious Lieutenant a quick nod and the Lieutenant sighed as his tensed muscles relaxed; his relaxed finger landed right on the end button.

He looked closely at the map afterwards. The Sith were going to have one hell of a time getting in there. No doubt the Republic had doubled their security from their last encounter with the Empire. But he wasn't worried. So far, they proved efficient at handling themselves. Plus it would probably put them in a better mood, slaughtering all those Republics.

* * *

><p>"Man, I am so bored!" cried out Vette as she kicked her legs up onto the chair before her. She watched as the Captain went about pulling up random records on the console before them and double checking them with other files. "Seriously, Captain, you're not going to help them by just pulling up files over and over again."<p>

"I wouldn't expect a non-military personnel to know," he said. "If you are just going to sit there and continue to pester me, you might as well find something else useful to do."

"Like what? You practically did everything that has to be done on this ship during our vacation! And besides, talking to you is much more fun than talking to R8. I like your reactions."

Quinn closed his eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing his annoyance. So the twi'lek purposely annoyed and pestered him? The thought angered him more, but he couldn't let that get in the way of his mission right now.

There was a moment of silence between them and Quinn thought it safe to open his eyes back up and continue working, but the minute he did, Vette's mouth opened up again.

"So…you think she's off somewhere with that Lieutenant?" she said.

_Just like her to try and deter me from my duties. _

"It is none of my business what she does while out there," he said as his eyes scanned the report in front of him.

"True. You guys aren't a couple or anything. You just shared one kiss. One meaningless…harmless…little…kiss."

Quinn frowned at the way the twi'lek had purposely dragged out the sentence, "Vette, I am trying to concentrate."

A few more moment of silence as Quinn finished reading the reports before him.

"Man, now that Jaesa's in the picture, we're stuck onboard forever! This sucks!"

"Actually it makes quite perfect sense for her to bring Jaesa. She is after all her apprentice now and therefore need to accompany her wherever she goes so that she may learn the way of the Sith."

"What's there to learn? All they do is go around, scare people, and kill them off. They're just like bullies. By the way, since we're going to be stuck together from now on, it wouldn't hurt you to start being nice to me. Would it really kill you if you were my friend?"

Quinn turned to the blue-skinned twi'lek, who gave him her usual childish grin. _Yes. _His mind had said, but he knew voicing that aloud would only elicit more incessant chatter, "That is actually not a terrible idea."

"Really?!" she said, her violet eyes widening as she sat straight up in her chair.

"Yes. It is a wise thing for one to get to know his crew members."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Vette rolled her eyes. "I just can't say it the way you did."

"Why don't we share a bottle of whiskey at the lounge area and you can tell me how you came to be."

"That's a great idea! Drink a little to ease the awkwardness," said Vette as she stood up and walked toward the exit with Quinn following her. "Where is R8 when you need him? You know I'm so glad you are finally agreeing to do this. This could be a life changing, eye opening experience for you. Then you'll see that I'm not as bad as you think!" She turned around to see the Captain narrowing his eyes at her.

"Sorry, Vette, but I think I already know you better than you know yourself," he said and in the next second, the door slid shut in front of the twi'lek, leaving her quite speechless.

Vette frowned as she gave the door a good kick, "Jerk."

* * *

><p>"Foreman! Look!" cried out a miner pointing toward the direction of the ruckus.<p>

Varl turned to see two figures clad in dark armor and wielding lightsabers cutting through the walls of Republic soldiers separating the miners from the fight. His heart jumped at the sight of them. _Sith! _And then it sank. _Just my luck…_ He frowned as he saw how fast the two figures appeared to be moving. Nervously, he looked around to make sure they had adequate protection before the Sith came any closer, but ended up disappointed when he saw that most of the Republic soldiers was gone from around them. _Hmph. Some protection. _He turned back to see the two figures striking down the last of the soldiers.

His heart jumped once again as their eyes turned toward his way. Around him, the miners gathered together and behind him, each fearing for their life. He cursed at the position he was in. Out of all days, why did he have to be foreman today?!

As the two Sith approached them, Varl held up his hands and attempted to somewhat reason with the Sith before they were all struck down, "Whoa, whoa whoa! You got all the soldiers. We ain't fighters, just miners. Contracted miners at that." He searched their face for any kind of mercy or kindness, but received none.

They stared at him with narrowed eyes, their grip upon their deadly weapons tightened.

"Where is General Frelka?" One of them asked. Her tone of voice didn't sound too pleasant, much to the foreman's dismay. He hesitated a bit at her question, but thought it best to just cooperate with them if he ever wanted to go back home safely.

"He's the overseer, but he ain't exactly hands on. Hasn't been by in weeks. You gonna kill him?"

"Yep."

"I see. Makes no real never mind to me. The Republic don't pay me enough to get in your way, believe me. If I hit the silent alarm, Frelka'll come with his personal guards. If that is really what you want, I can bring him here." Varl waited as the Sith contemplated his offer. She probably had never had someone cooperate with her so quickly and so easily. _She probably thinks it's a trap. _But Varl meant what he said. The Republic was quite cheap with their pay and no matter how many times Varl attempted to negotiate, they would not budge. Hopefully, the Sith could sense this with their special ability with the Force.

"Hit the alarm," she finally said.

Varl let out a relieved sigh, "You got it." The miner turned around and signaled for one of his crew to trigger the alarm. The nearest crew member ran to the controls and pushed a small button. He looked toward the miner after he was done and nodded. The miner turned back toward the two Sith warriors. "There, it's done. The general's been summoned. Now please, just let us live."

"Depends on how long I have to wait. If I get bored, someone has to amuse me," came the reply.

"I'm sure he's on his way," said the miner in a worried tone. His facial expression drooped to match that of his tone. So did the rest of the miners as each looked fearfully at the two Sith.

Jaesa smiled in her head as she observed each and every one of the miners. This certainly never would have happened if she was still a Jedi. For some reason, a lot of people tend to think Jedi are pushovers due to their unusually nice nature. It angered Jaesa whenever she saw someone disrespecting Nomen Karr and angered her more to see him pushing it aside. What was worse was when she had to force herself to ignore hateful actions or comments toward herself.

This, however, certainly was different. She enjoyed bringing out the fear within people around her. Fear is what made them certain that they won't do anything or say anything stupid to her or her master.

"Master," the young girl began as the older Sith leaned back against a crate. They were a good distant away from the miners, close enough to react if something happened, but far enough to not be heard. The amber eyes turned toward Jaesa. "Why do I sense that you were bluffing? You're not going to kill them, are you?"

"When you've been a Sith for as long as I have, nonsensical killings get quite boring. I'd rather waste my time on some of the bigger Reps."

"Ah, I see. Is this something I should follow?"

"I know you're thirsty for bloodshed, Jaesa. You'll get your killings soon enough. Heck, I'll even let you take out the General if you're up for it." The older Sith gave the former Jedi a small smile to which Jaesa nodded.

"Of course, Master. I'm eager to show off my newfound skills."

* * *

><p>"Lieutenant Pierce, how goes your mission?" asked Moff Hurdeon upon catching the Lieutenant at the main console.<p>

"Just like any other mission. We're getting it done."

"Good. I just wanted to warn you once more on our Sith. She may be a beauty, but her temper is quite ugly. Words has it, she's impatient and rash. If she gets bored and decides to take things into her own hands, you will find yourself in a real mess. Remember we are the real people in control of the mission. We just make the Sith think that they are so as to make them feel important and not left out."

"Noted," said Pierce as he continued to punch in data into the computer. He was not in the mood for anymore of Hurdeon's lectures. Just as he was about to pull up a file, the holo light flashed. "Got an incoming holo."

"Put it through," said the Moff coming to stand beside the Lieutenant.

Pierce pushed the button and stood back as a small image of an Imperial soldier appeared, "Moff Hurdeon, Lieutenant Pierce." He saluted them. "Dirk reporting. We have found a battalion crossing our path. The battalion was found to be that of General Durant, sir, of the War Trust. Waiting for additional instructions, sir."

Pierce's lips widened at the news, "Good. Keep track of the battalion, solider. I'll be out there soon with my troop to figure out where they are going. Good work."

"Yes, sir!" said Dirk.

Pierce turned around excitedly and took a step toward the door before stopping.

"No," said Moff Hurdeon. The Lieutenant and holo soldier turned toward the Moff. "That battalion must not be allowed to join the general."

Pierce raised a brow, "What do you mean?" though in his mind, he already knew exactly what the Moff intended to do.

"Soldier, stay your position. I will send reinforcement your way. We are going to take out that battalion," said the Moff.

The holo image of Dirk nodded and disappeared from the console.

"You can't do that!" Pierce exclaimed. "You take out the battalion, we lose track of General Durant's whereabouts."

"I'm not going to let that battalion join him, Lieutenant. If that happens, imagine the consequences." Moff Hurdeon turned and eyed the enraged Lieutenant.

"We need them to lead us to his whereabouts."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but that I cannot risk. Trust me on this, Lieutenant. I have done this many time throughout my life."

"But-"

"I have spoken, Lieutenant! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some other duties to attend to and you have yours." The Moff walked past the Lieutenant and out of the room, leaving Pierce to himself.

The Lieutenant stared at the console ahead of him, fists and teeth clenched. He felt his face reddened as his whole body temperature rose. His blood boiled as the Moff's last words echoed throughout his mind. _That fool of a Moff is going to kill us all!_

* * *

><p>Footsteps were heard coming down the cave, causing the miners and the two Sith to turn their way. A group of Republic soldiers, all holding their blaster rifle, walked their way. In the back were two men, a young one and old one. They each wore a grim expression when they caught sight of the Sith.<p>

The group stopped a distance away from the two Sith. The older man raised his brow slightly at the sight of the two women.

Xy'liah straightened herself as she and Jaesa turned to receive the incoming group, but as soon as they set one foot toward the group, the General immediately froze; the colors from his face vanished.

"Enemy sighted! Captain, attack pattern aught-seven-seven," said General Frelka to the younger man to his right.

"Men, fan out! Aught-seven-seven! Be ready to engage, wait for the general's orders!"

The soldiers obeyed and spread to create a semi-circular barrier around the Sith and the soldiers. Their guns turned and pointed straight at the two.

Jaesa smiled at the turnout of soldiers. She was going to enjoy slaughtering them all. Adrenaline rushed up and down her body as she stood waiting for her master to address the General. Her hands started twitching, eager to reach for that long double bladed lightsaber of hers. Her brown eyes turned toward her master, who seemed a bit too calm for the situation. How could she stand there in such nature? The former Jedi had always thought Sith were supposed to be excited at the prospect of killing.

"Foreman Varl, good work tripping the silent alarm. You have shown uncharacteristic mercy, Sith, leaving Varl and his crew alive," said the general turning his blue eyes finally upon the Sith. "I am General Elexis Frelka of the Republic Strategic High Command. Your incursion here violates the spirit of the Treaty of Coruscant. We have you dead to rights, surrender!"

Xy'liah smiled as the general frowned, "My master never told me what a funny man you were."

"We have prisons that can stand up to Sith. Perhaps you'll find them funny," the general hissed. "It's unfortunate you've discovered our plans, but no matter. The wheels are already in motion. Our new technology will deliver arms superiority to the Republic. And I'm ready to give my life to defend the installation."

"We are in accordance then. I am ready to take your life," said Xy'liah igniting her lightsabers.

Jaesa immediately took hers out. Finally, it was time for action.

"Men, fight to the death!" yelled the general's right handed man.

Bolts started flying their way as the two Sith blocked the incoming fire. Behind them the miners scrambled to find cover and if possible, escape.

Jaesa wasted no time closing in the gap between her and the soldiers, eager to show off to her master the skills she had learned during their two weeks together. She smiled as the soldiers backed away as she took them down one by one.

They were not particular hard soldiers to defeat. She even discovered a little secret the more and more she fought these Republic soldiers: the closer she gets to them, the more frightened they appeared to be. She sensed mixed emotions coming from all of them. While a good part of the group wanted to be here, the other part wasn't too excited about facing two Sith. And those were the soldiers Jaesa concentrated on first.

Behind her, her master took out any soldiers she left. She was taking her time as she slowly worked her way to Jaesa and the general.

When the last soldier fell, Jaesa immediately engaged the general in battle. His right handed man came to his aid and for a few seconds, the former Jedi found herself balancing out the two as they engaged her in battle. Luckily, her master stepped into help and relieved her of the right handed man. The former Jedi eyed her master's bout with the young man, carefully noting her style as Quinn said he often so did.

She seemed to be taking her time with him, Jaesa noticed as she kicked the General back a few feet. She noticed the young Captain's frustration as her master danced around him, occasionally striking him whenever he was exposed. When the young Captain figured out her master's little game, he quickly counterstriked her next attack with a kick that caught her off-guard.

Xy'liah gave the Captain a shocked look before striking him down with one of her crimson lightsabers.

_What a shame_, Jaesa thought as the young Captain fell to the floor. _He was a cute one too. _

Within the next few minutes, Jaesa too sent one end of her lightsaber flying into the general's armor. The young apprentice stared at him as he looked at her with lifeless eyes. She stood there for awhile, catching her breath while looking down at the fallen general. A general. She just took out a Republic general. Now there was no way she could ever return back to the Jedi.

"Exciting, isn't it?" came her master's voice, cutting through her thoughts.

"Yes, Master," she replied back as the older Sith joined her side. She thought of something else to say, but found herself speechless from her actions.

Xy'liah smiled at the younger woman as she reached out to extract something from the general's armor. She stood up, holding a small rectangular card in her hand, turning it over and over. Her eyes turned toward a computer in the far off distant and started walking in that direction with Jaesa following closely by her.

The Sith Lord slid the card into its' rightful place and immediately the screen came alive with a bunch of data running across it. She took out another device and connected it to the computer before she started navigating the humongous console.

"Quinn."

"I am here, my lord," came the Captain's voice on the other side of the comlink.

"Are you seeing this?"

"Give me a minute, my lord," said Quinn as he quickly tried to connect the two computers together. Within the next seconds, data ran across his screen and his eyes widened at the huge amount of information being presented before him. "Amazing…" He watched as a file was pulled up by Xy'liah at her end.

"Project Siantide," said Vette reading the title of the folder.

"So General Frelka was only a small part of what seemed to be well planned project," said Quinn reading the text. "He's been mining materials for their use on Taris. What amazes me is that they have discovered a way to process the substance being mined here, which is residue from the incineration of the millions of life-forms that perished when the Empire bombarded Taris, into a powerful new energy source."

"So they are using what we did to their advantage," came Xy'liah's voice through the comlink.

"Is it possible to find out the implications, my lord?" asked Quinn.

"It doesn't say. Perhaps the information was too confidential for the general," said Xy'liah.

New texts appeared across the screen as Xy'liah accessed another folder.

"A General Minst is in charge of receving the materials from the cave. He is stationed at the dismantled reactor core in the sewer sector of old Taris. Guess I know where we're going next," said Xy'liah reading the text from her end.

"Give me a moment, my lord, to pull up his bio," said Quinn.

"Not necessary," said Xy'liah. "As long as I know where to find him. Saves me a lot of time. I'll contact you the next chance I get."

"My lord," said Quinn as the connection went out.

"Shall we get going, Master?" asked Jaesa as she watched the older Sith close out the opened folders. Gigantic red texts appeared across the screen followed by an option. "You're going to self-destruct the system?"

"We can't have the Republics having access to this," said Xy'liah as she hit the confirm key. She looked at her apprentice as the intercom sounded, warning them of the self-destruct. "Come on."

Jaesa nodded as she followed the Sith to a safe distant. Their quick walk inevitably turned into a sprint as the computer exploded behind them. As soon as they hit the safe point, Jaesa waved her hand and immediately the door behind her shut.

The young apprentice stopped to catch her breath as she looked up at her master. The older Sith wasted no time in resting however. She already had her holocommunicator out and was already talking to the Lieutenant's tiny holo image.

"Lieutenant Pierce, I know where to find General Minst. I'm heading there now," the Sith Master said.

"Great news. I got some, too. Scout report. The battalion of War Trust General Durant is on the move. Odds are he's fortifying his position. Some of my black ops pals are back. We could've discreetly followed the battalion to find the general…"

Xy'liah's brow narrowed at the Lieutenant's choice of words, "What do you mean could've?"

"Sorry, my lord. Moff Hurdeon sent a platoon instead, grounded me and my boys. His forces are engaging Durant as we speak. He's killing our chances."

Jaesa watched as her master's face went red with anger.

"Summon Hurdeon into this conversation, I'll address him," she said. She tried her best to keep her tone of voice calm though there was a strong hint of anger seeping out.

"My lord."

In the next second, the Moff's image replaced Pierce's. He wore a proud expression upon his face as he addressed the unhappy Sith, "Ah, there you are. I see Lieutenant Pierce has already hailed you. I was hoping to do it myself. Can I assume the lieutenant has already updated you? Thanks to me, General Durant's personal battalion will not be joining him, wherever he is." He smiled even wider at his accomplishment as Xy'liah's frown deepened.

"Engaging the general's army was a rash and foolish move," the Sith said unleashing the anger within her voice. "Now withdraw, and allow Lieutenant Pierce and his men to scour for General Durant's headquarters. Understood?"

The smile from the Moff's face disappeared immediately and was replaced by a dumbfounded look, "Yes, well of course. I'll make it so immediately. My lord." His image disappeared and Pierce, once again, was shown on the holocommunicator.

"We'll get something on Durant, I swear it," said the Lieutenant with a hint of glee in his tone. "Good luck on General Minst."

The Sith's image disappeared. Lieutenant Pierce smiled as he switched to another channel on his holocommunicator. Moff Hurdeon's last expression replayed in his mind and Pierce widened his smile. The look was priceless.

* * *

><p>"Yes, Lieutenant?"<p>

"Ready the troop. We're heading out."

"Yes, Lieutenant." The image disappeared and Pierce returned the holocommunicator to his utility belt.

His mind wandered to the Sith and he let out a small sigh of relief. It was good to know that she shared the same views as he did. It would make their mission together a lot easier and without the interference of the Moff, he could now prove just how useful he could be to the Empire.

"Lieutenant, we are in position," said one of Pierce's right handed men as Pierce adjusted the helmet on his head. He was a young boy of about 20, but from what the Lieutenant could see, he had potential in the Black Ops Division. His passion was what drew Pierce to him. In a way, the young man reminded Pierce of himself when he first joined Black Ops; so young and so eager to experience anything that came his way.

"Good," said Pierce as he turned to look down on the recovering battalion. He kneeled down upon the cliff as he examined the damage Hurdeon had caused.

The damage appeared minimal. Hurdeon probably lost more men in the ambush attack than Durant. Luckily the Sith stopped the Moff right before he did any real damage.

Next to him, the young man took his place, "Seems like they'll be moving soon, Lieutenant. Should we ready ourselves?"

"Give them a few minutes head start," said Pierce turning toward the young man. "Courtesy gesture after the Moff's idiotic move."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

><p>"Wow, you-you took them all down," said the rodian as the two Sith surrounded him. He looked around them fearfully as he felt something stuck within his throat. They were even more menacing in reality than in the tales he had heard. He panicked as his mind went blank. Quickly, he struggled to find words to say. "Uh, I am General Minst. If you come for Project Siantide, let's uh-let's talk this through."<p>

"Start talking," said one of them as they both crossed their arms.

"Uh, right well, I'll be happy to hand over all my information, but it's—it's going to take some time—," replied the rodian. He stood there for awhile as he was instructed to do. Only after he saw the impatient looks upon his foes' face did he panic even more. He could feel the beating of his heart get louder and louder as he stood there, praying and hoping this all goes as plan.

The Sith gave each other an annoyed look. What's stopping them from cutting him in half?

"NO!" he shouted. The two women turned toward him, eyebrows raised. "I can't do this! I'm not General Minst, I'm just a grunt. I am not going to die for this!"

"Nice to see your undying loyalty to the Republics," said one of them. "Now where is Minst?"

"Minst deleted all the files about the project and set the reactor to self-destruct! He's muted the self-destruct sequence, ask me to stall you. Here—listen!" spilled the rodian. He took out a small controller and switched up the volume.

"The power reactor will self destruct in five minutes," came the thundering voice across the room.

"I'll tell you where General Minst is, you'll let me flee this death trap. Yeah?" said the rodian. He knew his strategy probably didn't sound so convincing, but he didn't have time to devise a better one.

"Tell me, and we'll see how I feel."

"O-okay," said the rodian, unconvinced of the Sith's answer. "General Minst and his advisor are inside the reactor's fallout vault. It's the only place around here that can withstand the self-destruct blast. Here take the code sequencer you need to open the vault. It will take about a minute to input them all."

"The power reactor will self-destruct in four and half minutes," came the voice again.

The rodian looked up and around the room. His breath became short and rapid as fear sank into him, "The vault is back out of here and all the way at the end of the corridor. Please, time's short, let me leave."

"It's already too late for you."

The rodian's eyes widened at the response as the other Sith raised her lightsaber, "It's not fair—"

"He was pathetic, Master," said Jaesa as she watched the rodian fall to the floor.

"Let's go. We don't have time to waste," said Xy'liah. She turned and rushed to the vault.

* * *

><p>The two Sith had no problem finding the vault. It was quite easy when they had cleared out the entire power reactor minutes before. Immediately Xy'liah inserted the code sequencer the rodian had given to them earlier as Jaesa stood by and watched.<p>

"Vault code sequence arming," came the voice from the console followed by the thunderous voice from before.

"The reactor core will self destruct in sixty seconds."

Quickly, Xy'liah entered the codes into the computer.

"Vault code sequence initiated."

"Terrific," she heard her apprentice said. "If that imposter was wrong about how much time this will take, we'll be blown to bits!"

"Just sit tight. I'm sure this will work," said the Sith Master, though she quite unconvinced herself.

"I just don't like being at the mercy of Republic techs."

"The reactor core will self-destruct in forty five seconds." Jaesa looked up and around, quite worried at the voice. But her worried mind was soon put to ease when she had spotted a few soldiers clad in white armor out of the corner of her eyes.

"At least we won't be twindling our thumbs. More fools to the slaughter," she said, smiling as she ignited her yellow lightsaber. She rushed at the incoming soldiers, doing her best to provide cover for her master as she worked on the codes. But some of the soldiers escaped her grasp and headed straight for the other Sith, disrupting her concentration.

Xy'liah turned around and took out her crimson sabers as the soldiers shot bolts at her. She immediately deflected the bolts, making sure to aim their bolts right back at them in order to save her time.

When the soldiers attacking her had fallen, Xy'liah turned back toward the computer and quickly entered the last of the codes as her apprentice finished off her group of soldiers.

"I love the thrill of killing. Hope that wasn't our last," Jaesa said, coming back to her master's side. She looked at her master with a grin on her face and then a frown as she realized the codes were still being inputted.

"The reactor core will self destruct in ten seconds."

"If there's something you want to say before the end, now's the time," she heard her master say and once again, her mind and heart raced as scenarios of the next ten seconds played in and out of her mind.

"I feel we only just scratch the surface of our potential together," she replied. But just as she did, a message from the console restored a bit of hope within her.

"Vault code sequence complete."

"The reactor core will self destruct in five seconds."

"Vault locks disarming."

"Four…"

"Vault door air lock releasing."

"Three."

"Vault open."

"Hurry inside," instructed Xy'liah as she rushed into the open door.

"Our enemies will pay for this!" shouted Jaesa as she hurried along side her master.

"The vault is open! Resecure the vault before the reactor core explodes!" yelled another voice from within the vault.

Explosions were heard outside, shaking the ground with its trembles. Jaesa did her best to brace herself from falling over. Her brown eyes looked up and around to see her master doing the same. But just as the young apprentice felt as if her legs were going to fail her, the trembles stopped, though she could still feel and hear the vibrations.

"That was reckless, Sith!" came the same voice in Huttese. "You could've killed us all. I suppose this means my imposter turned tail. Stupid of me to entrusted a grunt. I should have sacrificed my advisor here."

Xy'liah and Jaesa regained their balance and looked up to see another rodian clad in the same armor as the previous one and a human standing right beside him. The rodian wore an unpleasant look as his dark eyes stared at the two recovering Sith.

"You must be a joy to work for," her master commented. She adjusted her position and straightened herself to face the rodian general.

"True patriots are ready to die for their leader. Now that this reactor has detonated, the Empire cannot duplicate Project Siantide. As Frelka no doubt demonstrated, there is nothing more important than our project. I had no choice. All of your effort has been a waste. Project Siantide is out of your reach," General Minst explained with a proud smile upon his face. His smile widened when he saw the look upon Xy'liah's face.

"Guess killing you will have to be my consolation," muttered the Sith Master igniting her crimson sabers.

Minst stepped back as he reached for his blaster rifle, but before he could properly aim the weapon, the long crimson energy blade went straight through him.

"General!" yelled his advisor next to him as he watched the rodian general fall. He quickly took out his blaster and shot a bolt toward the Sith, but was surprised to see that bolt rebounded straight back toward him. He fell to his knees, clutching at his chest as a shadow loomed over him.

He looked up to see the second Sith, lightsaber ignited in hand, towering over him. He closed his eyes as she raised her long lightsaber.


End file.
